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THE    UPWARD  AND    ONWARD   SERIES. 


PLANE  AND  PLANK; 


THE  MISHAPS.  OF  A  MECHANIC. 


BY 


OLIVER    OPTIC, 


AUTHOR  OF  "YOUNG  AMERICA  AliKOAD,"  "THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY  STORIES,' 

"THE  WOODVILLE  STORIES,"  "THE  BOAT-CLUB  STORIES,"  "THE 

STARRY  FLAG  STORIES,"  "THE  LAKE-SHORE 

SERIES,"  ETC. 


■ 


WITH  FOURTEEN  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


BOSTON: 

LEE    AND    SHEPARD,   PUBLISHERS. 

NEW  YORK: 

LEE,  SHEPARD  AND  DILLINGHAM. 

1874. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1870, 

By   WILLIAM  T.  ADAMS, 

In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  'Washington. 


University  Press  :  Welch,  Bigelow,  &  Co., 
Cambridge. 


ELECTROTYPED  AT  THE 
BOSTON    STEREOTYPE    FOUNDRY, 

19  Spring  Lane. 


m:y    young    friend 
GEORGE    W.  HILLS 

IS  AFFECTIONATELY  DEDICATED. 


PEEFACE. 


"Plane  and  Plank"  is  the  second  of  The  Upward  and 
Onward  Series,  in  which  the  hero,  Phil  Farringford,  appears 
as  a  mechanic.  The  events  of  the  story  are  located  on  the 
Missouri  River  and  in  the  city  of  St.  Louis.  Phil  learns  the 
trade  of  a  carpenter,  and  the  contrast  between  a  young  me- 
chanic of  an  inquiring  mind,  earnestly  laboring  to  master  his 
business,  and  one  who  feels  above  his  calling,  and  overvalues 
his  own  skill,  is  presented  to  the  young  reader,  with  the  hope 
that  he  will  accept  the  lesson. 

Incidentally,  in  the  person  and  history  of  Phil's  father  the 
terrible  evils  of  intemperance  are  depicted,  and  the  value  of 
Christian  love  and  earnest  prayer  in  the  reformation  of  the  un- 
fortunate inebriate  is  exhibited. 

Though  the  incidents  of  the  hero's  career  are  quite  stirring, 
and  some  of  the  situations  rather  surprising,  yet  Phil  is  always 
true  to  himself  ;  and  those  who  find  themselves  in  sympathy 
with  him  cannot  possibly  be  led  astray,  while  they  respect  his 
Christian  principles,  reverence  the  Bible,  and  strive  with  him 
to  do  their  whole  duty  to  God  and  man. 

Harrison  Square,  Boston, 

June  7,  1870. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    I. 

Page 

In  which  Phil  makes  the  Acquaintance  op  Mr.  Leon- 
idas  lynchpinne. 11 

CHAPTER    II. 
In  which  Phil  meets  with  his  first  Mishap 22 

CHAPTER    III. 

In  which  Phil  slips  off  his   Coat,   and  retreats  in 
good  Order. 33 

CHAPTER    IV. 
In  which  Phil  endeavors  to  remedy  his  first  Mishap.    44 

CHAPTER    V. 
In  which  Phil  vainly  searches  for  the  Gracewoods.    55 

CHAPTER    VI. 

In  which  Phil  wanders  abodt  St.  Louis,  and  has  a 
Gleam  op  Hope 66 

CHAPTER    VII. 

In  which  Phil  hears  prom  his  Friends  and  visits  Mr. 
Clinch 77 

(?) 


8  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    VIII. 
In  which  Phil  goes  to  Work,  and  meets  an  old  Ac- 
quaintance  88 

CHAPTER    IX. 
In  which  Phil  meets  a  seedy  Gentleman  by  the  Name 

of  Earringford 100 

CHAPTER    X. 

In  which  Phil  listens  to  a  very  impressive  Temper- 

an.ce  Lecture 112 

CHAPTER    XI. 
In  which  Phil  takes  his  Father  to  his  new  Home.  .     123 

.     •  CHAPTERXII. 

In  which  Phil  listens   to  a  Discussion,   and  takes 

Part  in  a  Struggle 135 

.     ,      CHAPTER    XIII. 
In  which  Phil  has  another  Mishap,  and  is  taken  to  a 

Police  Station 147 

CHAPTER    XIV. 
In  which  Phil  recovers  his  Money 160 

CHAPTER    XV. 
In  which  Phil  produces  the  Relics  of  his  Childhood.     172 

CHAPTER    XVI. 
In  which  Phil  struggles  earnestly  to  reform  his 

Eather 183 

CHAPTER    XVII. 
In  which  Phil  meets  the  Last  of  the  Rockwoods.  .     195 


CONTENTS.  9 

CHAPTER    XVIII. 

In  which  Phil  calls  upon  Mr.  Lamar,  and  does  not 

find  him 207 

CHAPTER    XIX. 

In  which  Phil  finds  himself  a  Prisoner  in  the  Gam- 
blers' Room 219 

CHAPTER    XX. 

In  which  Phil  is  startled  by  the  Sight  of  a"  Famil- 
iar Face 231 

CHAPTER    XXI. 
In  which  Phil  finds  himself  Sixty-five  Dollars  out.     243 

CHAPTER    XXII. 
In  which  Phil  returns  to  the  Den  of  the  Enemy.  .     256 

CHAPTER    XXIII. 

In  which  Phil's  meets  a  bale  Gentleman  with   one 

Arm  in  a  Sling 268 

CHAPTER    XXIV. 

In  which  Phil  meets  an  old  Friend,  and  Mr.  Leon- 

idas  Lynchpinne  comes  to  Grief 280 

CHAPTER    XXV. 
In  which  Phil  finds  the  Prospect  growing  brighter.     292 

CHAPTER    XXVI. 

In  which  Phil  listens  to  the  Confession  of  his  Per- 
secutor, and  ends  Plane  and  Plank 304 

I 


PLANE  AND  PLANK; 

OR, 

THE  MISHAPS   OF  A  MECHANIC 


CHAPTER  I. 


IN  WHICH  PHIL   MAKES   THE   ACQUAINTANCE   OP  MR. 
LEONIDAS   LYNCHPINNE. 

11  "T~TTHAT  do  you  think  you  shall  do  for  a 
f  Y  living,  Phil  Farringford,  when  you  ar- 
rive at  St.  Louis?"  asked  Mr.  Gracewood,  as 
we  sat  on  the  hurricane  deck  of  a  Missouri 
River  steamer. 

"  I  don't  care  much  what  I  do,  if  I  can  only 
get  into  some  mechanical  business,"  I  replied. 
"  I  want  to  learn  a  trade.  I  don't  think  I'm 
very  vain  when  I  say  that  I  have  about  half 
learned  one  now." 

"Perhaps  you  have  half  learned  several,"  add- 
ed my  excellent  friend,  with  a  smile.     "I  have 

no   doubt   you   will   make  a  good  mechanic,   for 

(ii) 


12  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

you  are  handy  in  the  use  of  tools ;  and  you 
have  been  thrown  so  much  upon  your  own  re- 
sources that  you  are  full  of  expedients." 

"I  am  always  delighted  when  I  have  a  diffi- 
cult job  to  do.  Nothing  pleases  me  so  much 
as  to  study  up  the  means  of  overcoming  an 
obstacle,"  I  added. 

"  The  first  qualification  for  any  pursuit  is  to 
have  a  taste  for  it.  You  will  make  a  good  me- 
chanic." 

"  I  am  only  afraid  that  after  I  have  learned 
a  trade,  I  shall  not  care  to  work  at  it." 

"  That  won't  do,"  protested  Mr.  Gracewood. 
"  You  mustn't  keep  jumping  from  one  thing 
to  another.  Frequent  change  is  the  enemy  of 
progress.     You  must  not  be  fickle." 

"  But,  after  I  have  learned  my  trade,  or  rather 
finished  learning  it,  there  will  be  no  more  dif- 
ficulties to  overcome." 

"  Yes,  there  will.  What  trade  do  you  mean 
to  learn  ?  " 

"  The   carpenter's,   I   think." 

"  There  may  be  an  infinite  variety  in  the  trade." 

"  I  know  there  may  be,  but  there  is  not.  One 
house  must  be  very  much  like  every  other  one. 


THE   MISHAPS    OP   A   MECHANIC.  13 

I  don't  think  I  could  be  contented  to  keep  do- 
ing the  same  thing  over  and  over  again." 

"If  you  wish  to  succeed,  you  must  stick  to 
your  trade,  Phil  Farringford." 

"  Should  I  stick  to  it  if  I  can  do  better  at 
something  else  ?  " 

"  You  must,  at  least,  be  very  sure  that  you 
can  do  better  at  something  else." 

"  Of  course  I  shall ;  but,  if  I  learn  my  trade, 
I  shall  always  have  it  to  fall  back  upon." 

"  That  is  very  true  ;  but  I  wish  to  impress  it 
upon  your  mind  that  fickleness  of  purpose  is 
fatal  to  any  real  success  in  morals,  in  science, 
and '  in  business." 

Our  conversation  was  interrupted  by  the  stop- 
ping of  the  steamer  at  a  wood-yard ;  for  I 
never  lost  an  opportunity,  on  those  occasions, 
to  take  a  walk  on  shore.  I  was  nervously  anx- 
ious to  see  everything  there  was  to  be  seen. 
All  was  new  and  strange ;  and  every  day,  as 
the  settlements  on  the  banks  of  the  great  river 
increased  in  number  and  extent,  afforded  me  a 
new  sensation.  As  I  had  been  brought  up  far 
away  from  the  haunts  of  civilization,  even  a 
house  was  a  curiosity  to  me ;  and  I  gazed  with 


14  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

astonishment  at  the  busy  scenes  which  were 
presented  to  me  in  some  of  the  larger  towns. 
At  St.  Joseph  we  had  taken  on  board  quite  a 
number  of  passengers,  and  the  scene  in  the 
cabin  had  become  much  livelier  than  before. 

The  addition  was  not  wholly  an  improvement, 
for  among  the  new  arrivals  were  not  a  few 
gamblers.  From  this  time  the  tables  were  oc- 
cupied by  these  blacklegs,  and  such  of  the  pas- 
sengers as  they  could  induce  to  join  them  in  the 
hazardous  sport,  from  early  in  the  morning  until 
late  at  night.  The  parties  thus  engaged  were 
surrounded  by  a  crowd  of  curious  observers, 
watching  the  turnings  of  the  game,  and  perhaps 
calculating  their  own  chances  if  they  engaged 
in  the  wretched  business.  I  had  looked  on  my- 
self with  interest,  and  when  I  saw  a  man  put 
five  dollars  into  his  pocket  on  the  turn  of  a 
card,  I  thought  it  was  an  easy  way  to  make 
money ;  but  then  I  had  an  opportunity  to  see 
that  it  was  just  as  easy  a  way  to  lose  it. 

Mr.  Gracewood  had  called  me  a,wa,y  from  my 
position  near  the  table,  after  the  gamblers  had 
commenced  their  operations,  and  cautioned  me 
never  to  play  for  money  at  any  game.     He  ex- 


THE  MISHAPS   OP   A   MECHANIC.  15 

plained  to  me  the  nature  of  the  business,  and 
assured  me  that  the  gamblers  who  had  come  on 
board  at  St.  Joseph  were  of  the  vilest  class  of 
men.  After  his  lecture  I  was  not  tempted  to  try 
my  hand  with  the  party  at  the  table.  The  talk 
about  making  and  losing  money  at  games  of 
chance  introduced  the  subject  of  my  own  finances. 
I  had  paid  my  passage  to  St.  Louis,  and  had 
besides  nearly  one  hundred  dollars  in  gold  in  a 
shot-bag  in  my  pocket. 

While  we  were  talking,  I  took  out  the  bag, 
and  counted  the  pieces,  as  I  had  done  several 
times  on  the  passage,  to  assure  myself  that 
my  funds  were  all  right.  My  excellent  friend 
told  me  I  must  learn  prudence,  and  that  I 
ought  not  to  exhibit  my  money,  especially  while 
we  had  so  many  suspicious  characters  on  board. 
I  was  alarmed,  and  looked  around  to  discover 
who  had  observed  me.  One  of  the  passengers, 
who  had  come  on  board  at  "  St.  Joe,"  was  prom- 
enading the  deck,  and  I"  had  noticed  that  he 
passed  quite  near  me  several  times.  He  was  a 
young  man  flashily  dressed,  but  he  did  not  look 
like  a  bad  man.  I  put  my  shot-bag  into  my 
pocket,    resolved    not    to     show    it    again,    and 


16  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

we  continued  to  discuss  the  financial  question 
till  it  led  us  to  the  consideration  of  my  future 
occupation. 

The  wood-yard  where  the  boat  stopped  was 
in  a  lonely  region,  and  it  was  just  sunset  when 
she  touched  the  shore.  Its  location  was  at  the 
mouth  of  a  stream  down  which  the  wood  was 
brought  in  flatboats,  though  a  young  forest  Avas 
growing  in  the  region  around  the  landing.  As 
it  was  too  damp  for  his  wife  and  daughter  to 
walk,  Mr.  Gracewood  would  not  go  on  shore, 
and  I  went  alone.  It  was  a  great  luxury  to 
stretch  one's  legs  for  an  hour  on  the  hard 
ground  after  living  for  weeks  on  the   steamer. 

"How  long  before  you  leave?"  I  asked  of 
the  captain,  as  I  went  over  the   plank. 

"  Perhaps  not  till  morning,"  he   replied. 

"  Do  you  stay  here  all  night  ?  " 

"It's  going  to  be  foggy,  and  I  don't  think 
we  can  run  down  to  Leavenworth,  which  is 
not  more  than  seven  miles  from  here.  We 
should  have  to  lie  there  till  morning  if  Ave 
Avent  on." 

I  was  sorry  for  this,  because  Mrs.  Grace- 
wood   had  a  friend   in  the  place,  where  Ave    in- 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  17 

tended  to  spend  the  evening,  and  I  was  anx- 
ious to  see  the  inside  of  a  civilized  house. 
However,  we  could  make  the  visit  the  next 
day,  for  the  boat  was  to  stay  several  hours  at 
the  town.  I  went  on  shore,  and  several  of  the 
passengers  did  the   same. 

"  It's  quite  smoky  on  the  river,"  said  a  young 
man,  coming  up  to  me  as  we  landed. 

"  Yes ;  the  captain  says  he  shall  probably  have 
to  lie  here  till  morning,"  I  replied. 

"  That's  too  bad,"  added  my  companion,  the 
St.  Joe  passenger  whom  I  had  observed  on  the 
hurricane  deck  when  I  was  counting  my  money. 
"I  meant  to  go  to  a  prayer-meeting  in  Leaven- 
worth this  evening." 

"  A  prayer-meeting ! "  I  repeated,  my  inter- 
est awakened;  for  I  had  heard  Mr.  Gracewood 
speak  of  such  gatherings,  though  I  had  never 
attended  one. 

"When  I  came  up  the  river  three  days  ago, 
they  were  holding  them  every  evening  in  the 
chapel;  and  I  am  anxious  to  attend." 

"  I  should  like   to   go  very  much." 

"  I   think  I  shall  go  as    it   is,"    continued   the 
young  man,  looking  at  his  watch. 
2 


18  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

"  How  can  you  go  if  the  boat  remains  here  ?  " 

"  I  can  walk.  It  is  not  more  than  three  or 
four  miles  across  the  bend  of  the   river." 

"I  should  like  to  go  with  you  very  much," 
I  answered. 

"  I   should  be  very  glad  of  your  company." 

"  If  you  will  wait  a  few  moments,  I  will  speak 
to  Mr.   Gracewood." 

He  consented  to  wait,  and  I  hastened  to  the 
saloon.  When  I  had  stated  my  desire,  Mr.  Grace- 
wood  rather  objected. 

"  You  don't  know  the  person  with  whom  you 
are   going,"   said  he. 

"I  think  I  can  take  care  of  myself,  sir.  But 
I  don't  think  there  can  be  any  danger  in  going 
with  a  young  man  who  is  willing  to  walk  four 
miles  to  attend   a  prayer-meeting." 

"  Perhaps  not.  I  should  i^ally  like  to  go 
to  one  myself." 

"  I  don't  think  there  can  be  any  danger,"  in- 
terposed Mrs.  Gracewood.  "  If  we  could  get  a 
vehicle  here,  we  would  all  go." 

"  There  is  the  captain.  I  will  ask  him  if  one 
cannot  be   obtained,"   said  Mr.   Gracewood. 

The    captain  said  there  was  no  vehicle   suita-. 


THE   MISHAPS   OP   A   MECHANIC.  19 

ble  to  convey  a  lady,  but  he  would  send  a  party 
of  three  in  the  steamer's  boat,  if  they  would  pay 
the  expenses  of  the  two  oarsmen  in  Leavenworth 
for  the  night. 

"  But  can't  you  send  five  as  well  as  three  ? " 
asked  Mr.  Gracewood,  who  did  not  object  to 
the  expense. 

"  The  boat  is  hardly  large  enough  to  carry 
them  besides  the  two  oarsmen.  I  lost  my  boat 
going  up  the  river,  and  I  had  to  take  such  a 
one  as  I  could  find,"  replied  the   captain. 

'•'But  I  would  rather  walk,"  I  added.  "I  will 
meet  you  in  the  town." 

"  Very  well,  Phil  Farringford.  Go  to  the  land- 
ing when  you  arrive,  and  wait  for  us." 

I  promised  to  do  so,  and  joined  the  young 
man  on  the  shore.  We  started  immediately  for 
our  destination,  and  passing  through  the  grove 
of  young  trees,  we  reached  the  open  prairie, 
over  which  there  was  a  wagon  track. 

"  I  don't  happen  to  know  your  name,"  said 
my  companion. 

"  Philip  Farringford ;  but  my  friends  call  me 
Phil." 

"Farringford;    I    know  a    man    of  that   name- 


20  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

in  St.  Louis,"  replied  he.  "  He  used  to  be  a 
large  steamboat  owner,  but  he  has  gone  to  ruin 
now." 

"  Gone  to  ruin  ?  " 

"  Yes,  drank  hard,  and  lost  all  his  property. 
He  is  a  poor,  miserable  fellow  now." 

"  Had  he  a  family  ?  " 

"  He  had  a  wife,  but  she  left  him  years  ago. 
She  was  a  very  pretty  woman,  they  say,  though 
I  never  saw  her." 

"  Did  you  ever  hear  that  he  and  his  wife  were 
on  board  a  steamer  which  was  burned  on  the 
upper  Missouri  ?  " 

"Never  did." 

"Very  likely  this  man  was  the  owner  of  the 
steamer  after  which  I  had  been  named;  but  it 
was  not  probable  that  he  was  in  any  manner 
related  to  me.  My  curiosity  was  satisfied,  or 
rather  my  new  friend  could  give  me  no  further 
information  in  regard  to  him. 

"  There  was  a  steamer  of  that  name  burned 
on  the  Missouri  about  eleven  years  ago,"  I 
added. 

"  Well,  I  was  a  boy  then,  and  did  not  come 
to  St.  Louis  till  years  after." 


THE  MISHAPS   OP  A  MECHANIC.  21 

"  I  should  like  to  ascertain  something  about 
that  boat,  Mr. —  You  didn't  tell  me  your 
name." 

"Just  so;  I  did  not.  My  name  is  —  my  name 
is  Lynchpinne,"  he  replied,  with  some  hesitation, 
so  that  I  wondered  whether  he  had  not  forgot- 
ten his  name  —  "  Leonidas  Lynchpinne." 

I  thought  it  was  a  queer  name,  but  an  in- 
stinct of  politeness  prevented  me  from  saying  so. 

"  What  do  you  wish  to  know  in  regard  to  that 
steamer,  Phil  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Some  of  my  relations  were  on  board  of  her, 
and  I  should  like  to  ascertain  whether  they  were 
saved  or  not." 

"  Farringford  will  know  all  about  it,  if  you 
can  catch  him  when  he  is  sober,  which  is  not 
very  often.  I  will  help  you  out  with  it  when 
we  get  to  St.  Louis." 

"  Thank  you,  Mr.  Lynchpinne.  I  shall  be 
under  very  great  obligations  to  you  if  you  can 
help  me." 

I  thought  my  new  friend  was  a  very  obliging 
young  man,  and  I  was  glad  to  know  him,  es- 
pecially as  he  was  in  the  habit  of  attending 
prayer-meetings. 


22  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 


CHAPTER   II. 

IN  WHICH   PHIL   MEETS   WITH   HIS   FIRST   MISHAP. 

I  OUR  miles  was  a  short  walk  to  me,  and  when 
we  reached  Leavenworth,  I  was  as  fresh  as 
when  we  started.  The  town,  then  in  the  third 
year  of  its  existence,  had  a  population  of  two 
thousand,  and  some  substantial  buildings  had  al- 
ready been  erected. 

"  Where  is  the  landing-place  ?  "  I  asked,  as  we 
entered  the  town. 

"  It  is  not  far  from  here,"  replied  Mr.  Lynch- 
pinne.  "  But  that  boat  won't  be  here  for  an  hour 
or  two  yet." 

"  But  I  would  rather  go  there  at  once." 

"  There  is  no  hurry  ;  but  we  will  go  down  in  a 
few  minutes.  I  want  to  inquire  at  what  time  the 
prayer-meeting  commences." 

'•  I  will  go  directly  to  the  landing,  if  you  will 


THE   MISHAPS    OF    A    MECHANIC.  23 

tell  me  the  way.  I  won't  keep  you  waiting,  and 
I  will  see  you  at  the  meeting." 

"  Don't  be  in  a  hurry.  It  is  only  a  little  past, 
six,  and  the  boat  won't  arrive  for  an  hour,  cer- 
tainly. I  will  go  down  with  you  in  five  minutes," 
persisted  my  companion. 

"  I  would  not  have  my  friends  wait  for  me  a  mo- 
ment," I  added. 

"  We  shall  have  to  wait  an  hour  for  them.  We 
will  go  up  to  the  hotel,  and  engage  a  room,  for  we 
may  not  find  one  after  the  meeting." 

He  conducted  me  through  the  principal  street 
of  the  town,  and  I  gazed  with  interest  at  the 
shops,  houses,  and  people. 

"  How  much  farther  have  we  to  go  ?  "  I  asked, 
when  I  judged  that  the  five  minutes  had  expired. 

"  Only  a  short  distance ;  but  we  are  going 
towards  the  river  all  the  time." 

"  We  passed  a  hotel  just  now." 

"  That  is  not  the  one  I  stop  at  when  I  am  here. 
The  prices  are  too  high  for  me.  I  have  money 
enough,  but  you  know  a  young  man  ought  to  be 
economical  on  principle." 

I  thought  this  was  very  good  logic,  and  I  fully 
subscribed  to  it ;  for,  though  I  had  almost  a  hun- 


24  PLANE   AND    PLANK,    OR 

clrcd  dollars  in  my  pocket,  I  wished  to  save  as 
much  as  possible  of  it.  Mr.  Lynchpinne  turned 
down  a  cross  street,  and  presently  stopped  before 
a  large  two-story  frame  house,  the  lower  part  of 
which  was  a  shop  of  some  kind ;  but  it  was  closed. 
On  the  outside  of  the  building  there  was  a  flight 
of  stairs  leading  to  the  second  story. 

li  We  will  go  up  here  and  inquire  about  the 
prayer-meeting,"  said  my  new  friend.  "  It  won't 
take  but  a  moment." 

"  Very  well ;  but  don't  be  long.  I  will  wait 
here  till  you  come  down." 

"  No  ;  come  up." 

"  I  had  just  as  lief  wait  here." 

"  But  this  is  the  place  where  we  shall  sleep.  A 
friend  of  mine  lets  out  some  rooms  here  to  lodgers. 
We  can  sleep  here  for  fifty  cents  each,  and  it 
would  cost  a  dollar  at  the  hotel." 

"  All  right ;  you  engage  a  room  for  both  of  us." 

"  But  come  up.  If  you  should  want  to  go  to 
bed  before  I  am  ready  to  come  in,  you  won't  be 
able  to  find  your  room,  if  you  don't  go  and  look  at 
it  now." 

I  thought  we  were  wasting  more  time  in  de- 
bating the  matter  than  it  would  take  for  me  to 


11 

\ 


THE  MISHAPS   OF  A   MECHANIC.  25 

look  at  the  chamber,  and  I  followed  him  up  the 
stairs.  We  entered  the  building,  which  was  of 
considerable  dimensions.  I  groped  my  way,  after 
my  friend,  through  long  entries,  which  were  not 
lighted,  until,  after  turning  two  corners,  he  halted 
and  knocked. 

"  Who's  there  ?  "  called  a  voice  from  within. 

"Lynch,"  replied  my  guide.  "Lynch  is  the 
short  of  Lynchpinne,"  he  added  to  me. 

"  Come  in  !  " 

1  heard  the  springing  of  a  bolt  on  the  door  be- 
fore it  was  opened. 

"  Go  in,  Phil,"  said  my  companion,  placing  him- 
self behind  me,  and  gently  forcing  me  into  the 
apartment. 

The  room  was  not  more  than  twelve  feet 
square. 

The  only  furniture  it  contained  was  a  chair  and 
a  small  toilet-table.  The  former  was  placed  in  one 
corner,  and  the  latter  directly  in-front  of  it. 

"  Is  there  to  be  a  prayer-meeting  this  even- 
ing?" asked  Mr.  Lynchpinne  of  the  man  who  sat 
behind  the  table. 

"  Of  course." 

"  At  what  time  ?  " 


26  PLANE   AND    PLANK,    OR 

"Half  past  seven.  What  have  you  there?" 
continued  the  man  behind  the  table. 

"  A  dove  who  has  the  yellow." 

"  Right ;  we  will  begin  the  meeting  now  then," 
added  the  man,  producing  a  little  silver  box,  open 
on  one  side,  so  that  I  could  see  it  contained  a 
pack  of  cards. 

This  was  the  first  intimation  I  had  that  anything 
was  wrong.  The  sight  of  the  cards  roused  my 
suspicions,  as  well  they  might.  I  had  heard  the 
snap  of  the  bolt  as  the  man  locked  the  door  when 
we  entered.  I  looked  about  me,  and  discovered 
that  there  were  no  windows  in  the  room,  though 
there  was  another  door  besides  that  by  which 
we  had  entered. 

"  Put  that  up,"  said  Mr.  Lynchpinne.  "  You 
know  that  I  never  gamble." 

"  I  thought  you  wanted  to  open  the  meeting." 

"  I  don't  know  what  you  mean,"  added  my  com- 
panion, who  certainly  looked  very  innocent. 

"  0,  you  don't !  " 

"  Of  course  I  don't.  My  young  friend  and  I 
must  stay  in  town  over  night,  and  we  want  a 
room.     Have  you  any  left,  Redwood  ?  " 

"  Not  a  room." 


THE   MISHAPS    OF   A   MECHANIC.  27 

"  Can't  you  find  one  ?  "  persisted  my  friend. 

"  Everything  on  this  floor  is  let  by  the  week." 

"  There's  the  corner  room  in  the  attic/'  said  the 
man  who  had  opened  the  door  when  we  entered. 

"  Show  it  to  them,  Glynn,"  added  Redwood,  who 
appeared  to  be  the  proprietor  of  the  establishment. 

"  I  know  where  it  is.  Give  me  a  light,  and  I 
won't  trouble  you,"  said  Lynchpinne. 

Glynn  opened  a  door  which  led  to  another  room, 
and  soon  appeared  with  a  rusty  iron  candlestick, 
and  the  stump  of  a  candle,  which  he  lighted. 

"  Come,  Phil,  we  will  see  the  room,"  said  Lynch- 
pinne, when  we  were  in  the  entry. 

"  What  sort  of  a  place  is  this  ?  "  I  demanded. 
"  I  don't  like  the  looks  of  it." 

"  Nor  I,"  he  replied.  "  I  should  judge  by  the 
looks  that  Redwood  gambles." 

"  I  think  I  won't  stay  here.  I  don't  want  to  be 
in  a  gambling-house." 

"  Humph  !  It  will  be  just  the  same  if  you  go  to 
the  hotel.     Let  us  look  at  the  room,  at  any  rate." 

"  You  have  seen  it  before." 

"But  I  wish  you  to  see  it;  then,  if  you  don't 
like  to  stay  here,  we  will  go  to  the  hotel." 

I  followed  him  up  the  narrow  flight  of  stairs, 


28  PLANE   AND   PLANK}   OR 

and  at  the  end  of  an  entry,  which  extended  the 
whole  length  of  the  building,  we  entered  a  cham- 
ber. It  contained  a  rude  bed,  a  chair,  and  a  wash- 
stand. 

"  Not  very  elegant  accommodations,"  said 
Lynchpinne,  as  we  surveyed  the  room  ;  "  but  when 
I  can  save  half  a  dollar  without  any  real  sacrifice 
of  comfort,  I  do  so." 

"  I  had  as  lief  sleep  here  as  anywhere,"  I  re- 
plied. "  Wouldn't  it  have  been  more  economical 
to  stay  on  board  the  steamer  ?  " 

"  Doubtless  it  would ;  but  I  wanted  to  come,  and 
so  did  you.  "We  will  do  it  as  cheap  as  we  can  — 
that's  all." 

"  I'm  satisfied." 

"  Then  I  will  put  this  candle  on  the  chair,  with 
a  couple  of  matches  by  the  side  of  it,  so  that  we 
can  come  in  without  any  assistance." 

"  Let  us  be  in  a  hurry,  for  I  am  afraid  that  boat 
will  get  to  the  landing  before  we  do,"  I  added,  im- 
patiently. 

"  You  need  not  concern  yourself  about  'her. 
We  shall  have  to  wait  half  an  hour  when  we  get  to 
the  river.     But  I  am  all  ready." 

"  So  am  I." 


THE  MISHAPS   OP   A  MECHANIC.  29 

"I  hope  you  haven't  much  money  about  you, 
Phil,"  said  my  companion,  as  he  placed  the  candle 
on  the  chair. 

"  I  have  a  little.     But  why  do  you  say  that  ?  " 

"  Because  there  are  a  great  many  bad  men 
about  these  new  towns ;  and  some  of  them  would 
not  scruple  to  rap  you  over  the  head  for  your 
money.  Besides,  there  will  be  a  crowd  on  the 
steamboat  levee,  and  we  may  have  our  pockets 
picked.  I  think  I  shall  hide  my  money  in  the 
bed." 

Suiting  the  action  to  the  word,  he  took  his  wal- 
let from  his  pocket,  and  thrust  his  arm  into  the 
bed  up  to  the  shoulder. 

"  No  one  will  think  of  looking  there  for  it,"  he 
added,  as  if  thoroughly  satisfied  with  what  he  had 
done.     "  I  advise  you  to  do  the  same." 

"  I  don't  mean  to  leave  my  money  here,"  I  re- 
plied. "  I  don't  like  the  looks  of  the  people  in  this 
house." 

"Nor  I:  but  they  will  not  think  of  such  a  thing 
as  looking  into  the  bed  for  money.  Take  my  ad- 
vice, Phil." 

"  No  i  I  think  I  can  take  care  of  what  money  I 
have,"  I  answered.     •   . 


30  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

"  You  haven't  been  about  this  region  so  much 
as  I  have,  or  you  wouldn't  run  any  risks,"  he  con- 
tinued; and  I  thought  he  was  very  persistent 
about  the  care  of  my  funds. 

"  That  may  be,  though  I  think  my  money  will 
be  safer  in  my  pocket  than  in  that  bed.  But  come, 
Mr.  Lynchpinne.  We  are  wasting  our  time,  and 
we  had  better  hurry  down  to  the  river." 

"  How  much  money  have  you,  Phil  ?  "  asked  my 
companion. 

"  I  have  enough  to  pay  my  way  for  a  few  days 
longer,"  I  replied,  moving  towards  the  door. 

"  I  hate  to  see  a  fellow  come  into  a  place  like 
this  and  lose  all  his  money." 

"  You  needn't  trouble  yourself  at  all  about  it. 
If  I  lose  it,  I  won't  blame  you,  for  you  have  cer- 
tainly given  me  abundant  warning." 

"  At  least  put  your  money  in  a  safe  place  on 
your  person  before  we  go  out." 

"  It's  all  right,"  I  answered,  placing  my  hand 
upon  my  pocket,  where  the  shot-bag  which  held 
my  funds  was  deposited.  "  But  hurry  up,  and  let 
us  go  to  the  landing." 

"  Is  that  where  you  keep  your  money  ? "  he 
added.    "  You  are  certain  to  lose  it  all  if  you  carry 


THE  MISHAPS   OP  A  MECHANIC.  31 

it  In  that  pocket.     Put  it  inside   your  vest,  and 
then  button  your  coat.'7 

"  There  is  no  pocket  inside  of  my  vest." 

"  No  matter  for  that.  Tie  it  up  in  your  hand- 
kerchief, and  fasten  it  to  your  suspender.  Do  any- 
thing with  it,  except  to  leave  it  in  that  pocket." 

I  rather  liked  his  suggestion,  though  I  was  not 
quite  satisfied  with  the  degree  of  interest  he  mani- 
fested in  the  safety  of  my  money.  I  took  out  the 
shot-bag,  and  wrapped  it  in  the  handkerchief,  and 
was  about  to  deposit  it  in  the  place  he  had  indi- 
cated, when,  with  a  sudden  spring,  he  snatched 
the  bag  from  me,  kicked  over  the  chair  on  which 
the  candle  had  been  placed,  and  fled  from  the 
room.  I  was  in  total  darkness ;  but  I  leaped  for- 
ward to  grapple  with  the  assailant,  for  I  was  dc 
termined  not  to  lose  my  money  without  a  struggle 
to  recover  it. 

I  was  taken  wholly  by  surprise,  for  I  had  not 
suspected  that  a  young  man  who  was  in  the  habf* 
of  attending  prayer-meetings  would  be  capable  oi 
any  dishonest  act.  As  1  leaped  forward  to  th<? 
door,  it  was  closed  before  me.  The  villain  had 
made  his  calculations  beforehand,  and  moved  with 
greater  facility  than  I  could.     I  heard  him  lock 


32  PLANE    AND   PLANK,    OR 

the  door  upon  me,  and  I  immediately  realized  that 
I  was  a  prisoner  in  the  strange  house.  Then  I 
understood  the  nature  of  my  kind  friend's  solici- 
tude about  my  funds.  He  had  been  laboring  all 
this  time  to  induce  me  to  produce  my  shot-bag,  so 
that  he  could  snatch  it  from  me. 

I  heard  his  footsteps  in  the  long  entry,  as  he 
retreated  from  the  scene  of  his  crime.  I  took 
hold  of  the  door,  and  tried  to  pull  it  open;  but 
though  it  was  a  sham  affair,  I  did  not  succeed.  If 
I  shouted,  I  should  doubtless  call  up  Redwood,  or 
his  assistant;  and  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that 
the  house  was  a  den  of  robbers  and  gamblers.  I 
decided  to  exercise  my  skill  still  further  upon  the 
door. 


THE  MISHAPS   OP  A  MECHANIC.  33 


CHAPTER  III. 

IN  WHICH    PHIL   SLIPS    OFF   HIS    COAT,   AND   RETREATS 
IN   GOOD    ORDER. 

T  is  scarcely  necessary  for  me  to  say  that  I 
was  exceedingly  indignant  at  the  trick  played 
upon  me  by  Mr.  Leonidas  Lynchpinne ;  and  I  was 
not  at  all  comforted  by  the  reflection  that  he  had 
used  the  cloak  "of  religion  to  cover  his  designs. 
He  had  seen  me  counting  my  gold  on  board  of 
the  steamer ;  and  the  wisdom  of  Mr.  Gracewood's 
advice  on  that  oocasion  had  already  been  demon- 
strated. If  I  had  not  carelessly  exhibited  the 
contents  of  my  shot-bag,  the  unpleasant  event 
which  had  happened  to  me  could  not  have  oc- 
curred. 

I  went  to  work  upon  the  lock  of  the  door.     I 
have  said  that  I  am  fond  of  encountering  a  diffi- 
culty ;  but  I  must  say  that  the  difficulty  of  open- 
ing that   door  was  an  exception  to  the   general 
3 


34  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

rule.  1  did  not  enjoy  it  at  all.  I  fingered  over 
it  a  while  in  the  dark,  with  no  success,  and  with  no 
prospect  of  any,  till  it  occurred  to  me  that  the 
candle  and  the  matches  which  my  companion  had 
placed  in  the  chair  were  available.  I  felt  about 
the  floor  till  I  found  them,  and  soon  had  a 
little  light  on  the  subject.  The  partition  was  a 
very  superficial  piece  of  work,  and  I  saw  that,  if 
I  could  not  spring  the  bolt  of  the  lock,  I  could 
pull  the  door  open. 

The  door  did  not  come  within  half  an  inch  of 
the  threshold,  and  there  was  a  space  equally  wide 
at  the  top.  I  pulled  the  bottom  out  with  my 
fingers  till  I  could  thrust  the  handle  of  my  knife 
in  at  the  side.  The  door  was  thin,  and  sprang 
easily  under  the  pressure.  When  I  got  a  fair 
hold,  I  pulled  it  open,  tearing  out  the  fastening 
-from  the  frame  of  the  door.  The  creaking  and 
cracking  produced  by  the  operation  amounted  to  a 
considerable  noise ;  but  I  made  haste  to  use  the 
advantage  I  had  gained  before  any  of  the  villa- 
nous  occupants  of  the  house  discovered  me. 

Taking  the  candle  in  my  hand,  I  walked  through 
the  long  entry  towards  the  stairs  by  which  I  had 
come  up.     But  I  had  gone  but  half  the  distance 


THE   MISHAPS    OF   A   MECHANIC.  35 

before  I  discovered  the  man  Glynn  hastening  in 
the  opposite  direction.  He  was  a  burly  fellow, 
and  I  suddenly  experienced  a  feeling  of  regret 
that  I  was  not  on  the  other  side  of  him,  for  I 
was  satisfied  that  any  conquest  I  might  gain  over 
him  would  be  by  the  use  of  my  legs  rather  than 
my  fists. 

"  What's  that  noise  here  ? "  demanded  Glynn, 
halting  in  the  middle  of  the  passage. 

"  I  made  some  noise  in  opening  the  door  of  the 
room." 

"  Lynch  says  some  one  is  breaking  into  the 
rooms.     Are  you  the  one  ?  " 

"  No ;  I  didn't  break  in ;  I  broke  out.  But  if 
you  will  excuse  me,  I  will  go,  for  I  am  in  a  hurry 
to  get  to  the  river." 

"  Never  saw  a  rogue  yet  that  was  not  in  a 
hurry." 

"  What  do  you  mean  by  that  ?  "  Iydemanded. 

"  Some  one  has  been  breaking  into  our  rooms, 
and  I  only  want  to  catch  the  fellow  that  did  it." 

"  I  am  not  the  fellow." 

"Lynch  says  you  are." 

"Where  is  Lynch?" 


36  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

"  Gone  out ;  I  don't  know  where.  "What  have 
you  been  doing  up  here?" 

"  I  have  been  robbed  of  niy  money  by  the  fellow 
you  call  Lynch ;  and  I  only  want  to  get  hold  of 
him,"  I  replied. 

"  That  won't  go  down  here,"  said  Glynn,  shak- 
ing his  head. 

"  Well,  I  shall  go  down,  any  how." 

"  Not  yet,  till  I  see  what  you  have  been  about 
here,"  added  he,  as  he  took  me  by  the  wrist,  and 
walked  in  the  direction  from  which  I  had  just 
come. 

Fully  persuaded  that  I  should  make  nothing  by 
resistance,  I  determined  to  await  my  opportunity, 
rather  than  spend  my  strength  in  a  useless  battle, 
in  which  I  was  liable  to  have  my  head.broken.  He 
led  me  to  the  room  I  had  just  left,  the  door  of 
which  was  open.  The  splintered  door-frame  be- 
trayed my  operations  at  once. 

"Did  you  do  that?"  demanded  Glynn,  sav- 
agely. 

"I  did." 

"  Then  you  are  the  chap  I've  been  looking  for," 
said  he,  squeezing  my  wrist  till  the  bones  crackled. 

"  Lynch  snatched  my  money,  and  then  locked 


THE   MISHAPS   OP   A   MECHANIC.  37 

me  into  the  room,  while  he  ran  away.  That's  the 
whole  story." 

"  I  tell  you  that  won't  go  down,"  added  Glynn, 
giving  nie  a  rude  shake. 

•'  Isn't  this  the  room  to  which  you  sent  him  and 
me,  and  didn't  you  give  him  the  key  ?  " 

"  And  didn't  you  break  down  this  door  ?  That's 
what  I  want  to  know." 

"  I  have  said  that  I  did ;  and  I  have  explained 
the  reason  of  it." 

"  Redwood  may  settle  the  business  to  suit  him- 
self.    Come  down  to  the  office." 

He  walked  me  through  the  long  entry,  and 
down  the  stairs  to  a  room  adjoining  that  we  had 
entered  before.  Glynn  explained  to  the  man  I 
had  seen  with  the  silver  box  in  his  hand,  and  who 
was  doubtless  the  proprietor  of  the  house,  what 
had  occurred  in  the  attic. 

"I  see,"  said  Redwood.  "  This  is  a  very  pretty 
story ;  and  this  boy  Wants  to  hurt  the  reputation 
of  the  house  by  declaring  that  he  has  been  robbed 
here.     As  you  say,  Glynn,  that  won't  go  doAvn." 

"  But  it  is  true,"  I  protested. 

"You  know  it  isn't  true.  How  old  are  you, 
boy?" 


38  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

"  Thirteen." 

"  How  much  money  did  you  lose  ?  "  asked  Red- 
wood, with  an  obvious  sneer. 

"  Nearly  a  hundred  dollars." 

"  In  wildcat  bank  notes,  I  dare  say." 

"  No,  sir,  in  gold." 

"  That's  a  likely  story  !  Boys  of  thirteen  don't 
travel  round  much  in  these  times  with  a  hundred 
dollars  in  gold  in  their  trousers'  pockets." 

"  But  I  had  the  money,  and  I  have  been  robbed 
in  this  house." 

"  I  don't  believe  a  word  of  it.  But  you  have 
been  breaking  down  my  doors,  and  trying  to  get 
into  my  rooms.  There  isn't  much  law  here,  but 
you  shall  try  on  what  little  there  is." 

"  I  can  prove  all  I  say  by  my  friends  on  board 
of  the  steamer." 

"  It's  too  late  to  do  anything  to-night,  Glynn. 
You  must  keep  him  till  morning.  Lock  him  up  in 
No.  10." 

"  I'm  not  going  to  be  locked  up  in  No.  10,"  I 
protested,  my  indignation  getting  the  better  of  my 
discretion,  for  I  could  not  help  thinking  of  Mr. 
Gracewood  and  his  family  fretting  and  worrying 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  39 

about  me  all  night ;  and  a  sense  of  the  injustice  to 
which  I  Avas  subjected  stung  me  to  the  soul. 

"Perhaps  you  are  not;  but  we'll  see,"  replied 
Redwood,  with  his  hand  on  the  knob  of  the  door 
which  opened  into  the  room  I  had  first  entered 
with  Lynchpinne,  and  in  which  I  heard  voices. 

"  Is  the  man  I  came  with  in  there  ? "  I  asked, 
pointing  to  the  door. 

"  No  ;  take  him  round  to  No.  10,  Glynn." 

'"  Come  along,  youngster,"  said  the  man,  as  he 
seized  me  by  the  collar  of  my  coat,  and  dragged 
me  out  into  the  entry. 

I  was  powerless  in  the  grasp  of  the  stout  fellow, 
and  he  led  me  along  the  entry  till  we  had  almost 
reached  the  door  by  which  we  had  entered  the 
building.  At  a  door  on  the  right,  marked  No.  10, 
in  red  chalk,  my  custodian  halted.  Setting  his 
candlestick  upon  the  floor,  he  applied  the  key  to 
the  door,  for  lie  still  held  me  by  the  collar  with 
one  hand.  I  had  no  taste  whatever  for  being 
locked  up  in  No.  10,  which  I  saw  was  an  inner 
chamber,  like  the  gambling  apartment  I  had  first 
visited. 

While  Glynn  was  unlocking  the  door,  a  piece  of 
strategy  occurred  to  me,  which  I  instantly  adopt- 


40  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

ed.  Like  the  prudent  shipmaster,  who  is  some- 
times compelled  to  cut  away  a  mast  to  save  the 
ship,  I  was  obliged  to  sacrifice  my  coat  to  obtain 
my  liberty.  Throwing  my  arms  behind  me,  I 
slipped  out  of  the  garment,  and  sprang  to  the  out- 
side door,  leaving  the  coat  in  the  hands  of  Glynn. 
Fortunately  the  door  was  ajar,  and  throwing  it 
open,  I  fled  down  the  stairs  with  a  celerity  which 
doubtless  astonished  my  burly  jailer. 

"  Stop,  you  rascal  !  "  shouted  Glynn  ;  but,  with- 
out pausing  to  consider  the  polite  invitation,  I 
promptly  declined  it. 

"  The  next  instant  the  iron  candlestick  struck 
me  in  the  back,  but  inflicted  no  damage  upon  me. 
It  was  followed  by  another  missile,  which  I  did 
not  identify,  and  then  by  my  coat.  I  do  not  think 
the  fellow  meant  to  return  the  garment  I  needed  so 
much  on  a  cool  night ;  but,  having  it  in  his  hand, 
he  threw  it  at  me,  as  he  had  everything  else  with- 
in his  reach.  I  grasped  the  coat,  and  ran  down 
the  street,  closely  pursued  by  Glynn.  Finding  I 
was  attracting  the  attention  of  people  in  the 
street,  two  or  three  of  whom  attempted  to  stop  me 
when  they  saw  a  man  was  pursuing  me,  I  turned 
into  a  cross  street.    I  ran  with  my  coat  on  my 


k 


$0%lM 


THE  MISHAPS   OP  A  MECHANIC.  '41 

arm,  and  soon  distanced  my  clumsy  pursuer.  I 
turned  several  times,  but  I  had  no  idea  where  I 
was  or  whither  I  was  going,  and  I  soon  found  my- 
self out  on  the  prairie. 

No  one  was  near  me,  and  I  was  satisfied  that 
Glynn  had  abandoned  the  chase.  *I  put  on  my 
coat,  and  walked  leisurely  in  the  direction  which 
I  thought  would  lead  me  to  the  river.  I  was  vexed 
and  discouraged  at  the  loss  of  my  money.  My  first 
mishap  gave  me  some  experience  of  the  disadvan- 
tages of  civilization,  for  in  the  field  and  forest  from 
which  I  had  come,  we  had  no  gamblers,  or  thieves, 
except  the  Indians.  It  would  be  a  very  pretty 
story  to  tell  Mr.  Gracewoocl,  that  I  had  not  been 
smart  enough  to  take  care  of  myself,  in  spite  of 
my  boast  to  that  effect,  and  that  I  had  lost  all  my 
money,  except  a  little  change  in  silver,  which  I 
carried  in  my  vest  pocket.  It  was  exceedingly 
awkward  and  annoying,  and  I  was  almost  ashamed 
to  meet  my  excellent  friend. 

I  continued  to  walk,  keeping  the  houses  of  the 
town  on  my  left,  expecting  soon  to  see  the  river. 
But  it  seemed  to  me  that  the  longer  I  walked,  the 
more  I  did  not  see  it,  and  the  less  became  the 
probability  that  I  should   see   it.     In   a  word,  1 


42  PLANE   AND   PLANK,    OR 

could  not  find  any  river,  and  I  concluded  that  I 
was  journeying  away  from  it,  instead  of  towards 
it.  The  houses  on  my  left  diminished  in  number, 
and  I  saw  that  all  the  lights  were  behind  me.  I 
thought  that,  by  this  time,  Glynn  had  given  up 
the  chase,  and  was  probably  busy  in  attending  to 
the  wants  of  the  gamblers  in  Redwood's  den. 
Turning  to  the  left,  1  walked  towards  the  centre 
of  the  town,  and  soon  struck  a  broad  street,  which 
had  been  laid  out,  and  on  which  an  occasional 
house  had  been  erected. 

This  course  brought  me  to  the  middle  of  the 
place,  and  in  front  of  the  hotel.  I  ventured  to 
inquire  the  way  to  the  river.  '  Taking  the  direc- 
tion pointed  out  to  me,  I  reached  the  landing-place 
without  further  difficulty.  I  found  the  place  where 
the  steamers  stopped,  but  there  Avas  no  boat  to  be 
seen.  I  visited  every  point  above  and  below  the 
landing ;  I  inquired  in  shops  and  offices,  and  of 
everybody  I  met ;  but  I  could  not  discover  the 
steamer's  boat,  and  no  one  had  seen  it  or  heard  of  it. 
It  was  very  strange,  and  I  was  perplexed,  but  not 
alarmed.  A  trip  of  seven  miles  in  a  boat,  even  in 
the  evening,  was  not  a  very  perilous  undertaking, 


THE   MISHAPS    OP   A   MECHANIC.  43 

and  I  was  not  willing  to  believe  that  any  accident 
had  happened  to  my  friends. 

I  had  seen  a  clock  in  one  of  the  stores  where  I 
had  called,  and  I  knew  it  was  half  past  eight.  The 
boat  must  have  arrived  at  least  an  hour  before,  if 
it  had  come  at  all ;  but  I  had  almost  reached  the 
conclusion  that  my  friends  had  abandoned  the 
excursion.  But  if  they  had  come,  Mr.  Gracewood 
would  go  to  the  prayer-meeting,  expecting  to  find 
me  there,  and  I  went  in  search  of  such  a  gathering. 


44  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 


CHAPTER  IV. 

IN  WHICH  PHIL  ENDEAVORS   TO   REMEDY  HIS  FIRST 
MISHAP. 

I  WENT  up  to  the  centre  of  the  town,  where 
I  had  seen  a  church ;  but  it  was  closed,  and 
all  its  windows  were  dark.  I  inquired  for  the 
other  churches,  and  visited  the  rest  of  them ;  but 
I  could  find  no  prayer-meeting.  Those  whom  I 
asked  had  not  heard  of  any  meetings.  By  this 
time  I  concluded  that  I  was  an  idiot  to  believe 
that  the  prayer-meeting  was  anything  but  a  ruse 
on  the  part  of  Mr.  Leonidas  Lynchpinne,  other- 
wise Lynch,  which  was  probably  his  true  name, 
and  which  he  had  doubtless  extended  for  my 
especial  benefit. 

I  was  disgusted,  and  heartily  wished  I  had  not 
left  the  steamer.  I  made  up  my  mind  that  it  was 
not  safe  to  trust  any  stranger,  even  if  he  said  he 
was  in  the  habit  of  attending  prayer-meetings  j 


THE  MISHAPS   OF  A  MECHANIC.  45 

but  I  ought  to  add  that  I  have  always  found  it 
safe  to  trust  those  who  really  attend  them,  and 
really  take  an  interest  in  them.  I  had  been  duped, 
deceived,  robbed.  I  wanted  my  money  back,  and 
I  was  quite  as  anxious  to  see  Lynch  as  I  was  Mr. 
Grace  wood. 

I  walked  up  to  the  hotel,  and  looked  at  every 
body  I  saw  in  the  public  rooms,  hoping  that  my 
fellow-passenger  had  concluded  to  pay  a  dollar  for 
his  lodging,  instead  of  fifty  cents  at  the  gambling 
den,  which  I  thought  he  now  could  afford  to  do, 
with  his  funds  replenished  with  the  contents  of 
my  shot-bag.  He  was  not  there,  and  I  went  over 
towards  the  house  where  I  had  been  robbed.  I 
approached  the  locality  very  cautiously,  for  I  was 
not  anxious  to  confront  the  burly  Glynn. 

I  examined  the  building  at  a  respectful  dis- 
tance, and  tried  to  fix  the  location  of  the  attic 
chamber  where  Lynch  had  plundered  me ;  but  I 
had  twisted  about  so  many  times  in  the  long  en- 
tries that  I  was  unable  to  do  so.  Occasionally  a 
man,  or  a  party  of  men,  went  up  the  steps,  and  I 
supposed  them  to  be  the  lodgers  in  the  house.  I 
watched  those  who  went  in  and  those  who  came 
out,  in  the  hope  that  I  might  see  Lynch.     I  did 


46  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

not  see  him,  and  perhaps  it  was  just  as  well  for 
me  that  I  did  not,  for,  as  I  felt  then,  I  should  cer- 
tainly have  "  pitched  into  him." 

I  could  not  do  anything  to  help  myself.  I  was 
tempted  to  arm  myself  with  a  club  and  go  into 
the  lodging-house  in  search  of  the  rascal  who  had 
robbed  me  ;  but  this  would  have  been  very  impru- 
dent. It  was  possible  that  Lynch  was  still  in  the 
house,  and  that  he  would  occupy  the  room  in  the 
attic.  I  could  not  help  thinking  that  Redwood 
was  his  confederate,  and  that  my  money  would  be 
shared  between  them.  They  seemed  to  under- 
stand each  other  perfectly,  and  I  recalled  the  re- 
mark of  my  companion,  incomprehensible  to  me 
when  it  was  uttered,  that  I  was  "  a  dove  with  the 
yellows."  A  dove  is  the  emblem  of  innocence, 
and  the  yellows  I  took  to  be  a  metaphor,  based 
upon  the  color  of  the  pieces  in  my  shot-bag. 

It  was  clearly  more  prudent  for  me  to  wait  till 
the  next  morning  before  I  attempted  to  do  any- 
thing ;  and,  having  satisfied  myself  of  the  correct- 
ness of  my  conclusion,  I  decided  to  wait,  with 
what  patience  I  could,  for  the  assistance  of  my 
friends  .the  next  day.  The  night  was  advancing, 
and  I  had  no  place  to  sleep.     I  had  not  money 


THF  MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  47 

enough  left  to  pay  even  for  a  cheap  lodging ;  and 
it  was  rather  cool  to  camp  on  the  ground  without 
a  blanket.  But  I  had  a  berth  on  board  of  the 
steamer,  if  I  could  find  my  way  back  to  her.  I 
was  not  so  tired  that  I  could  not  walk  four  miles. 

I  started  for  the  wood-yard,  and,  with  less  diffi- 
culty than  I  expected,  I  found  the  road  over  the 
prairie.  As  I  trudged  along  in  the  darkness,  I 
thought  of  all  the  events  of  the  evening.  It  was 
a  pity  that  the  world  contained  any  such  rascals 
as  "  Mr.  Leonidas  Lynchpinne  ; "  but  I  was  confi- 
dent that  the  next  time  I  met.  one  of  his  class  I 
should  be  a  match  for  him,  and  would  not  even  go 
to  a  prayer-meeting  with  him.  It  was  possible 
that  this  worthy  had  returned  to  the  steamer,  re- 
lying upon  Eedwood  to  retain  me  till  after  the 
steamer  had  left  the  town ;  but  I  did  not  depend 
much  upon  finding  him  in  his  state-room. 

Reaching  the  wood-yard,  I  went  on  board  of  the 
steamer.  Though  it  was  nearly  midnight,  the 
gamblers  on  board  were  still  plying  their  infa- 
mous vocation.  I  went  to  the  table,  and  satisfied 
myself  that  Lynch  was  not  among  them.  I  visited 
the  state-room  which  Mr.  Gracewood  had  occupied 
with  me  since  we  left  Council  Bluffs;  where  the 


48  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

number  of  passengers  increased  so  that  I  could  no 
longer  have  a  room  to  myself.  He  was  not  there  ; 
and  there  was  no  light  in  the  room  occupied  by 
his  wife  and  daughter.  I  was  not  willing  to  be- 
lieve they  had  left  the  boat  till  I  obtained  this  evi- 
dence. 

The  bar  of  the  steamer  was  still  open,  for 
wherever  the  gamblers  were  whiskey  was  in  de- 
mand. I  asked  the  bar-keeper  where  the  captain 
was,  and  learned  that  he  had  retired;  but  the 
clerk  was  still  up,  and  I  soon  found  him,  for  I 
wished  to  ascertain  where  Lynch's  room  was. 

"  Well,  Phil,  you  are  up  late,"  said  the  clerk,  as 
I  walked  up  to  him;  and  in  the  long  trip  I  had 
become  well  acquainted  with  him. 

"  I  have  been  down  to  Leavenworth,"  I  replied. 

"  Why  did  you  come  back  ?  We  shall  be  there 
early  in  the  morning." 

"  I  had  to  come  back.  Do  you  take  the  names 
of  all  the  passengers  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  we  have  to  put  all  the  names  on  the 
berth  list." 

"  Is  there  one  by  the  name  of  Leonidas  Lynch- 
pinne  ?  "  I  asked. 

11  Certainly  not,"  he  replied,  laughing. 


THE   MISHAPS   OF  A  MECHANIC.  49 

"  Or  any  name  like  it  ?  " 

"  I  will  look,  if  you  wish." 

"Do,  if  you  please,  and  I  will  tell  you  why  I 
ask." 

We  went  to  the  office,  and  he  examined  his  list. 

"  Lyndon  Lynch  —  " 

"  That  7s  the  man,"  I  interposed.  "  Lynch. 
Which  is  his  room?" 

"No.  24." 

"  I  should  like  to  know  whether  he  is  in  it,  or 
not,"  I  added. 

"  He  came  on  board  at  St.  Joe,"  said  the  clerk, 
as  we  walked  to  No.  '24. 

Lynch  was  not  there,  and  the  other  occupant 
of  the  room  was  playing  cards  at  the  table.  I 
sat  down  with  the  clerk,  and  related  to  him  all  the 
events  of  the  evening.  Occasionally  he  smiled, 
and  even  laughed  when  I  spoke  of  going  to  a 
prayer-meeting.  I  felt  cheap  to  think  I  had 
been  duped  so  easily,  and  Avas  a  subject  for  the 
merriment  of  the  clerk. 

"  You  will  never  see  your  money  again,  Phil," 
said  he,  when  I  had  concluded. 

"Why  not?     Don't  they  have  any  law  in  these 
civilized  regions." 
4 


50  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

"  You  can  have  all  the  law  you  want  when 
you  find  your  man.  This  Lynch  is  probably 
one  of  these  blacklegs.  They  are  miserable 
scoundrels,  who  float  about   everywhere." 

"  But  the  man  who  kept  the  lodging-house 
was  in  league  with  him." 

"  Very  likely ;  but  it  don't  appear  from  your 
story  that  he  had  anything  to  do  with  the  rob- 
bery.    Your  own  evidence   would  acquit  him." 

I  did  not  derive  much  comfort  from  the  clerk's 
remarks,  though  I  could  not  help  acknowledg- 
ing the  truth  of  what  he  said.  However,  the 
loss  of  a  hundred  dollars  would  not  ruin  me, 
uncomfortable  and  inconvenient  as  it  was.  I 
could  draw  upon  Mr.  Gracewood,  Avho  had  fif- 
teen hundred  dollars  of  my  funds  in  his  pos- 
session. But  I  intended  to  make  an  effort  the 
next  day,  while  the  boat  lay  at  Leavenworth,  to 
find  Lynch,  and  have   him  lynched,   if  possible. 

"  But  why  did  you  come  back,  Phil  ? "  con- 
tinued the  clerk.  "  Mr.  Gracewood  and  his  fam- 
ily went  down  in  the  boat." 

"I  couldn't  find  them,  or  the  boat.  I  was 
almost  sure  they  had  not  started." 

"They  went." 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  51 

"  It's  very  strange  I  could  not  find  the  boat. 
I  inquired  of  twenty  persons,  and  no  one  had 
seen  or  heard  of  it.  Do  you  suppose  anything 
could  have  happened  to  them  ? "  ' 

"  It  is  not  probable,  though  of  course  it  is 
possible.  The  current  of  the  river  is  very 
swift,  and  the  shores  are  rocky.  But  they 
had  two  of  our  deck  hands  with  them,  and 
I  should  say  that  any  accident  was  next  to  im- 
possible." 

I  was  of  his  opinion,  though  I  could  not  help 
worrying  about  them.  I  went  to  my  room  and 
retired.  I  was  very  weary  ;  but,  though  disposed 
to  consider  still  further  the  events  of  the  even- 
ing, I  fell  asleep  in  spite  of  myself.  When  I 
awoke  the  next  morning,  the  boat  was  lying 
at  the  landing  in  Leavenworth.  It  was  only  a 
little  after  sunrise,  but  the  hands  were  busy 
loading  and  discharging  freight.  I  hastily  dressed 
myself,  wondering  how  I  could  have  slept  so 
long;  but  I  had  walked  not  less  than  fifteen 
miles  the  preceding  evening,  and  perhaps  it 
was  more   strange  that  I  waked  so  early. 

"  Have  you  found  the  boat,  captain  ?  "  I  asked, 
with   breathless    interest,   as   I   hastened  to   the 


52  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

main  deck,  where  I  found  the  master  of  the 
steamer. 

"  No,  Phil ;  and  I  am  a  good  deal  worried 
about  your  friends,"  he  replied. 

"  Why,  where  are  they  ?  " 

"  I  have  no  idea ;  but  I  have  been  up  and 
down  the  levee  from  one  end  of  the  town  to 
the  other,  and  I  can't  find  the  boat.  I  don't 
understand  it." 

"  I  could  not  find  it  last  night.  1  asked  twenty 
persons,  but  no  one  had  seen  such  a  party  as 
I  described,"  I  added. 

"  Do  you  know  the  name  of  the  person  they 
intended  to  visit  ?  " 

"  I  do  not.  I  may  have  heard  it,  but  I  don't 
remember  anything  about  it." 

"  The  boat  will  not  start  before  noon,  and 
we  may  hear  of  them  before  that  time,"  said 
the   captain. 

"  Did  you  look  along  the  shore  as  you  came 
down  ?  "  I  -asked. 

"  Not  particularly ;  but  if  they  had  been  on 
the  shore  the  pilot  would  have  seen  them.  The 
clerk  told  me  you  lost  your  money  last  night, 
Phil." 


THE  MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  53 

"  Yes,  sir ; "  and  I  repeated  my  story  to 
him. 

"We  Avill  take  an  officer  and  visit. the  house," 
added  the   captain. 

"  The  sooner  we  go,  the  more  likely  we  shall 
be  to  find   Lynch,"  I  suggested. 

"  We  will  go  at  once,  then." 

Captain  Davis  and  I  landed,  and  walked  up 
to  the  hotel.  An  officer  was  procured,  and  I 
led  the  way  to  the  lodging-house.  We  entered 
without  announcing  our  visit,  and  proceeded  to 
the  office,  as  Glynn  had  called  the  room  in  front 
of  the   gambling  den. 

"  So  you  have  come  back,  youngster,"  said 
the  burly  assistant. 

"  Where  is  the  man  that  calls  himself  Lynch  ?  " 
demanded  the  officer. 

"  No  such  man  here,"  replied  Glynn.  "  Don't 
know  him." 

"  I  suppose  not,"  said  the  officer,  ironically. 
"  What  room  did  you  take  with  him,  young 
man  ? "  he  added,  turning  to  me. 

"  I  don't  know  the  number,  but  I  can  lead 
you  to  it." 

"What's  the  matter?"  asked  Glynn,  innocently. 


54:  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

"  This  young  man  was  robbed  in  your  house 
last  night." 

"  "Was  he  really,  though  ?  "  added  the  assistant. 

"  You  know  that  he   was." 

"He  told  me  he  was,  but  I  didn't  believe  it. 
The  youngster  went  to  a  room  with  a  man, 
and  I  heard  some  one  breaking  down  doors. 
I  caught  this  youngster  up  there  alone.  But 
if  he  was  robbed,  that's  another  thing,"  con- 
tinued Glynn,  who  seemed  to  have  a  very 
proper  and  wholesome  respect  for  the  officer. 
"  I  will  go  up  to  that  room,  and  see  if  Lynch 
is  there." 

"  You  needn't  trouble  yourself,"  said  the  pru- 
dent official.     "  I   will  go  myself." 

"  I'll  go  up  and  show  you  the  way." 

"Where  is  Redwood?" 

"  Not  up  yet.     I  will  call  him." 

"  No ;  I  will  call  him  myself  when  I  want 
him." 

Glynn  led  the  way  up  to  the  attic,  and  I  was 
tolerably  confident,  from  his  manner,  that  we 
should  find  Lynch  in  the  room.  We  found  the 
door  locked,  in  spite  of  the  damage  I  had  done 
to  it. 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A    MECHANIC.  55 


CHAPTER  V. 

IN  WHICH    PHIL   VAINLY  SEARCHES    FOR    THE    GRACE- 
WOODS. 

kF  course  you  know  whether  the  man  we  are 
looking  for  is  in  this  room  or  not,  Glynn," 
said  the  officer,  when  he  found  that  the  door  was 
locked. 

"  Ton  my  word  I  do.  not,'7  protested  the  assistant. 

"  Did  you  let  the  room  to  any  other  person  ?  " 

"I  did  ;  but  Lynch  may  occupy  it  with  him,  for 
aught  I  know.  These  fellows  all  run  together, 
and  I  don't  know  who  are  in  the  rooms.  We  let 
them  for  a  dollar  a  night,  and  don't  care  who 
sleeps  in  them." 

The  officer  knocked  at  the  door,  and  was  prompt- 
ly answered  by  a  person  whose  voice  did  not 
sound  at  all  like  Lynch's.  My  hopes  were  failing, 
and  I  would  have  taken  half  my  money,  and  given 


56  PLANE    AND    PLANK,    OR 

a  receipt  in  full  for  the  whole,  if  I  could  have 
made  such  a  trade. 

"  Open  the  door/'  said  the  officer. 

Even  this  request  was  promptly  complied  with, 
and  Ave  found  the  bed  occupied  by  only  one  per- 
son. Glynn  protested  that  he  had  not  seen  Lynch 
since  he  gave  him  the  key  and  the  light  early  in 
the  evening  ;  and,  whether  we  believed  him  or  not, 
we  were  forced  to  accept  his  explanation.  We 
saw  Redwood  afterwards,  and  he  appeared  to  be 
as  innocent  as  his  immaculate  assistant.  Both  of 
them  apologized  to  me  for  the  rude  treatment  to 
which  I  had  been  subjected,  and  declared  that 
they  had  made  a  bad  mistake  in  taking  me  for  a 
house-breaker,  since  I  was  now  vouched  for  by  so 
excellent  a  person  as  Captain  Davis,  of  the  steamer 
Fawn.  If  they  ever  saw  Lynch  again,  they  would 
hand  him  over  to  the  officers  of  the  law.  It  was 
for  their  interest  to  do  so,  because  the  reputation 
of  the  house  was  greatly  injured  by  having  a  per- 
son robbed  within  it.  They  would  do  what  they 
could  to  recover  my  money ;  and  if  they  succeed- 
ed, where  should  they  send  it  ? 

Captain  Davis  could  not  help  laughing  at  this 
speech,  and  told  me  I  need  not  trouble  myself  to 


THE  MISHAPS    OF  A   MECHANIC.  57 

leave  any  address.  Both  protested  that  they  were 
in  earnest ;  and  certainly  their  logic  was  correct, 
whether  they  were  sincere  or  not.  If  the  local 
newspaper  stated  that  a  person  had  been  robbed 
of  a  hundred  dollars  at  lied  wood's  lodging-house, 
the  fact  would  deter  others  from  going-  there,  for 
even  gamblers  and  other  fast  men  would  object  to 
having  their  money  stolen.  We  left  the  house, 
and  I  gave  up  my  money  as  lost ;  but  I  was  will- 
ing to  believe  that  I  had  purchased  a  hundred 
dollars'  worth  of  wisdom  and  experience  with  it, 
and  so  I  had  a  fair  equivalent. 

In  the  street  I  found  the  officer  was  not  disposed 
to  abandon  the  case.  He  had  a  reputation  to 
make  in  that  new  land ;  and  perhaps  it  was  worth 
more  to  him  than  to  me  to  find  the  money.  I  was 
entirely  willing  that  he  should  increase  his  credit 
as  a  thief-taker  by  restoring  my  property,  and 
I  warmly  seconded  his  endeavors.  We  watched 
the  lodging-house  till  dinner  time,  but  without 
seeing  any  one  who  looked  like  Lynch.  In  short, 
the  officer  made  no  progress  in  establishing  a  title, 
to  the  position  of  chief  of  police  when  the  office 
should  be  created  in  the  new  and  growing  city. 

I  returned  to  the  steamer  at  the  landing,  and  of 


58  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

course  my  first  inquiries  were  for  Mr.  Gracewood 
and  Lis  family.  To  my  astonishment  and  grief, 
not  a  word  had  been  heard  of  them.  Captain 
Davis  had  caused  a  thorough  search  to  be  made  in 
the  town,  without  obtaining  the  slightest  clew  to 
them,  I  was  amazed,  and  so  were  others  who 
were  interested  in  the  fate  of  the  absent  ones.  It 
was  incredible  that  any  calamity  had  overtaken 
thorn  by  which  the  whole  party  had  been  lost  If 
the  boat  had  been  upset,  the  deck  hands  at  least 
could  have  saved  themselves. 

I  forgot  all  about  my  money  in  my  anxiety  for 
my  friends.  I  could  not  believe  that  they  had 
been  lost ;  it  was  too  sad  and  too  improbable  to  be 
considered,  and  I  rejected  the  supposition.  But 
the  mystery  weighed  heavily  upon  me.  The 
steamer  was  ready  to  proceed  on  her  voyage,  and 
the  passengers  were  grumbling  at  the  delay ;  but 
Captain  Davis  was  unwilling  to  proceed  without 
the  absentees.  In  the  middle  of  the  afternoon  he 
cast  off  his  fasts,  when  a  portion  of  his  passengers, 
who  had  not  paid  their  fare,  threatened  to  leave 
the  boat,  and  take  another  which  was  in  sight 
above  the  town.  But,  instead  of  continuing  on 
Lis  way  down  the  river,  he  headed  her  up  the 


THE   MISHAPS    OF   A   MECHANIC.  59 

stream,  in  order  to  examine  the  shores  for  any 
signs  of  the  lost  family. 

I  was  deeply  interested  in  the  fate  of  Mr.  Grace- 
wood,  his  wife  and  daughter,  for  they  were  really 
the  only  friends  I  had  in  the  world.  I  had  been 
saved  from  a  burning  steamer  by  old  Matt  Rock- 
wood,  and  was  brought  up  by  him  in  his  cabin. 
I  knew  nothing  of  my  parents,  but  old  Matt  had 
been  a  father  to  me,  and  the  coming  of  Mr.  Grace- 
wood  furnished  me  with  a  competent  instructor  in 
manners,  morals,  and  the  various  branches  of  learn- 
ing. After  the  death  of  old  Matt,  my  good  friend 
had  been  strangely  joined  by  his  wife  and  daugh- 
ter, and  I  had  lived  one  season  with  the  family. 
As  the  winter  approached,  we  had  left  our  home 
in  the  wilds  of  the  far  west,  and  were  now  on  our 
way  to  St.  Louis.  These  events  all  passed  in  re- 
view through  my  mind,  as  I  thought  of  the  Grace- 
woods  who  had  so  strangely  disappeared. 

Old  Matt  Rockwood  had  left  a  considerable  sum 
of  money  in  his  chest,  which,  with  the  profits  of 
our  farm  and  wood-yard,  amounted  to  over  sixteen 
hundred  dollars,  when  the  accounts  were  finally 
settled.  Fifteen  hundred  of  this  sum  was  in  dhe 
keeping  of  Mr.  Gracewood,  though  I  held  his  note 


60  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

for  it,  and  was  in  no  clanger  of  losing  it,  though  he 
should  never  appear  again.  But  I  had  no  selfish 
thoughts.  I  was  interested  only  in  the  safety  of 
my  friend  and  his  family.  The  daughter,  pretty 
Ella  Gracewood,  had  been  my  constant  friend  and 
companion  at  the  settlement.  I  had  rescued  her 
from  the  Indians  who  had  captured  her,  and  it 
would  have  broken  my  heart  to  know  that  any 
calamity  had  overtaken  her. 

•The  Fawn  went  up  the  river  in  spite  of  the 
grumbling  of  the  passengers.  We  passed  the 
steamer  coming  down  the  stream ;  but  Captain 
Davis  declared  that  he  should  be  on  his  way  to 
St.  Louis  before  the  other  boat  could  get  away 
from  Leavenworth.  Like  all  other  western  steam- 
boat  masters,  he  said  and  did  all  he  could  to  get 
and  keep  his  passengers.  Extending  from  the 
mouth  of  the  stream,  where  our  steamer  had 
passed  the  night,  there  was  a  cut-off,  through 
which  the  boat,  with  Mr.  Gracewood,  had  come. 
The  water  rushed  through  it  like  a  sluice,  and 
probably  by  this  time  it  is  the  main  channel  of 
the  river. 

^Stop  her !  "  shouted  Captain  Davis  to  the  pilot, 
as  the  boat  was  passing  the  outlet  of  this  cut-off. 


THE  MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC,  61 

"  What  is  it,  captain  ?  "  I  asked,  startled  by  the 
order,  and  fearful  that  he  had  discovered  some 
evidence  of  a  disaster. 

"  There  is  an  oar,"  said  he,  pointing  to  the 
shore. 

I  saw  the  oar,  which  had  washed  up  on  the 
bank  of  the  river.  The  boat  was  run  up  to  the 
point,  and  it  was  identified  as  one  belonging  to 
the  missing  boat. 

"  That  is  something  towards  it,"  said  the  cap- 
tain, as  the  oar  was  examined  on  board.  "  If  they 
didn't  lose  the  other  one  they  could  get  along  well 
enough." 

"  Perhaps  they  did  lose  the  other,"  suggested 
the  mate. 

"  It  is  not  very  likely  they  lost  both  oars." 
added  Captain  Davis. 

"Do  you  suppose  the  boat  upset?"  I  asked, 
with  my  heart  in  my  mouth. 

"  Certainly  not.  If  it  did  we  should  have  found 
the  boat,  or  heard  from  the  men.  The  whole 
party  could  not  have  been  drowned  in  a  narrow 
place  like  that,"  replied  the  captain,  confidently. 

"  What  do  you  think  has  become  of  them  ?  "  I 
continued. 


62  PLANE   AND    PLANE,    OR 

"  Nothing  worse  than  being  carried  down  the 
river  could  have  happened  to  them.  I'm  sure  of 
that.  It's  absurd  to  think  that  three  men  should 
be  lost  in  a  stream  not  a  hundred  feet  wide.  Go 
ahead,  pilot !  "  shouted  the  captain. 

"  Down  stream?  "  asked  the  man  at  the  wheel. 

"Yes;  we  shall  pick  up  the  party  somewhere 
below." 

The  Fawn  came  about,  and  to  the  great  satisfac- 
tion of  the  growling  portion  of  her  passengers, 
resumed  her  voyage  down  the  river.  I  did  the 
best  I  could  to  convince  myself  that  no  catastro- 
phe had  overtaken  my  friends.  When  we  came 
to  Leavenworth,  we  found  that  the  steamer  we 
had  passed  —  whose  name  was  the  Daylight  — 
was  not  there.  If  she  had  stopped  at  all,  she  had 
not  remained  there  more  than  a  few  minutes. 
Captain  Davis  was  annoyed  at  this  circumstance, 
for  she  Avould  take  the  passengers  and  freight 
that  were  waiting  at  the  various  points  on  the 
river  below,  which  would  otherwise  have  been 
taken  by  the  Fawn.  I  saw  him  go  down  to  the 
main  deck,  where  the  furnaces  and  boilers  were 
located,  and  in  a  short  time  I  was  conscious  that 
they  were  crowding  the  boat  iip  to  her  highest 


THE  MISHAPS    OF   A   MECHANIC.  63 

speed.  A  race  had  commenced,  not  so  much  to 
ascertain  which  of  the  two  boats  was  the  fastest, 
as  to  obtain  the  freight  and  passengers  that  were 
awaiting  transportion  at  the  towns  beloAv  us.  I 
felt  no  interest  in  the  trial  of  speed,  which  at 
another  time  might  have  afforded  me  a  pleasant 
excitement.  From  the  hurricane  deck  I  watched 
the  shores,  to  obtain  any  tidings  of  the  missing 
boat  or  her  passengers. 

At  Delaware  City  the  Daylight  made  a  landing; 
but  the  Fawn,  to  my  surprise  and  chagrin,  did  not 
stop.  It  was  possible  that  the  Gracewoocls  had 
been  carried  down  to  this  point  in  their  unman- 
ageable boat,  and  had  landed  here. 

"  Why  don't  you  make  a  landing  here  ?  Captain 
Davis  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"  Because  the  Daylight  has  gone  in  ahead  of 
me,  and  I  shall  get  no  freight  or  passengers  if  I 
don't  keep  ahead  of  her." 

"  But  Mr.  Gracewood  and  his  family  may  be 
here." 

"  It  is  not  improbable.  I  feel  that  I  have  done 
all  I  could  for  them." 

"  You  might  stop." 

"  I  can't   sacrifice   the  interest  of  my  owners, 


64  PLANE   AND   PLANK,    OR 

Phil.  If  the  Gracewoods  are  there,  they  can  take 
passage  in  the  Daylight.  They  will  not  suffer  any 
great  hardship,  while  my  boat  may  lose  hundreds 
of  dollars  by  the  delay." 

"  I  shall  be  in  misery  till  I  hear  from  them." 

"  You  need  not  be.  I  am  sure  no  serious  acci- 
dent has  happened  to  them.  I  want  the  two  men 
I  sent  in  the  boat,  but  I  couldn't  stop  to  get  them, 
even  if  I  knew  they  were  at  Delaware  City.  But 
we  shall  hear  from  your  friends  before  long.  The 
Daylight  will  drive  her  wheels  hard  to  keep  up 
with  us.  I  see  she  hasn't  much  freight,  and  she 
will  stop  at  every  place  of  any  size." 

"  But  if  you  keep  ahead  of  her  all  the  time,  how 
shall  we  get  any  news  from  her  ?  " 

"  The  Fawn  is  faster  than  the  Daylight,  and  I 
can  afford  to  let  her  pass  me  at  any  place  where 
I  can  obtain  freight  enough  to  make  it  an  object. 
If  the  Gracewoods  are  on  board  of  her,  they  will 
make  themselves  known  as  she  goes  by.  There 
will  be  a  good  deal  of  freight  at  Kansas  City, 
where  we  shall  arrive  to-night.  You  will  proba- 
bly find  the  Daylight  there  in  the  morning." 

I  was  satisfied  with  the  captain's  explanation, 
and  I  hoped  the   morning  would  justify  his  ex- 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  65 

pectations.  We  made  no  landings  till  we  reached 
Kansas  City,  about  eight  o'clock  in  the  evening, 
There  was  a  crowd  of  passengers  there,  who 
rushed  on  board  as  soon  as  the  plank  was  laid 
down.  The  freight  was  immediately  taken  on 
board.  I  was  very  tired  after  the  exertions 
and  excitement  of  the  day  and  of  the  preceding 
evening,  and  I  went  to  bed,  hoping  and  expect- 
ing to  see  the  Daylight  at  the  landing  when  I 
awoke  in  the  morning.  I  slept  very  soundly,  in 
spite  of  the  grief  and  anxiety  that  weighed  up- 
on me ;  and  it  is  fortunate  that  Nature  will 
assert  her  claim,  or  we  might  sometimes  wear 
ourselves    out   with  fruitless   repinings. 

When  I  came  to  my  consciousness  in  the 
morning,  I  discovered  that  the  boat  was  in 
motion.  The  monotonous  puff  of  the  steam- 
escape  pipes  saluted  my  ears.  Half  dressed, 
I  went  out  upon  the  gallery  of  the  boat,  but  I 
could  see  nothing  that  looked  like  Kansas  City, 
or  the  Daylight.  The  deck  hands  had  been 
taking  in  freight  when  I  went  to  sleep ;  but 
how  long  the  boat  had  been  in  motion  I  could 
not  tell. 

•       5  -   :.      


66  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OE 


CHAPTER  VI. 

IN    WHICH    PHIL    WANDEES    ABOUT    ST.    LOUIS,    AND 
HAS   A   GLEAM   OF    HOPE. 

'HEN  I  had  completed  my  toilet,  I  has- 
tened to  find  Captain  Davis.  I  was  in- 
dignant at  his  course  in  leaving  Kansas  City, 
and  I  felt  that  he  had  been  guilty  of  treachery 
to  me  and  to  the  Gracewoods.  I  went  all  over 
the  boat,  from  the  wheel-house  to  the  main 
deck ;  but  the  captain  was  not  to  be  seen.  The 
engineer,  in  answer  to  my  inquiry,  told  me 
Captain  Davis  had  been  up  till  after  midnight, 
and  probably  had  not  yet  turned  out. 

"  What  time  did  the  boat  leave  Kansas  City  ?  " 
I  asked. 

"About  eleven  o'clock;  possibly  it  was  half 
past  eleven." 

"  Did  you  see  anything  of  the  Daylight  ?  " 

"  Not  a  thing ;   and  you  won't  see  her  till  we 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A  MECHANIC.  67 

have  been  in  St.  Louis  tw°o  or  three  days/'  re- 
plied the  engineer.  "  She  can't  keep  up  with 
the  Fawn.  Besides,  we  are  full  of  freight  and 
passengers  now,  and  shall  make  no  long  stops 
anywhere." 

"  That's  mean,"  I  growled,  as  I  left  the  engineer. 

I  wanted  to  cry  with  vexation  ;  but  I  had  made 
up  my  mind  that  it  was  not  manly  to  shed  tears. 
I  walked  up  and  down  the  hurricane  deck  till 
breakfast  time.  This  exercise  had  a  tendency 
to  cool  my  hot  blood,  and  I  considered  the  situa- 
tion in  a  calmer  state  of  mind.  I  could  bo  of 
no  service  to  the  Gracewoods,  and  the  father  of 
the  family  was  abundantly  able  to  take  care  of 
them.  If  I  could  only  have  been  assured  of 
their  safety  I  should  have  been  satisfied. 

I  went  to  breakfast;  but  Captain  Davis  did 
not  appear  till  most  of  the  passengers  had  left 
the  table.  I  suspected  that  he  did  not  wish  to 
see  me ;  but  that  did  not  prevent  me  from  taking 
a  seat  at  his  side,  even  at  the  risk  of  spoiling 
his  appetite. 

"  You  told  me  you  should  not  leave  Kansas 
City  till  the  Daylight  arrived,  Captain  Davis," 
I  began. 


68  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

"  Not  exactly,  Phil.  I  told  you  she  would 
probably  be  there  in  the  morning,  or  something 
of  that  kind." 

"Why  did   you  leave,  then,  before  morning?" 

"  Because  my  passengers  were  indignant  at 
the  delay  I  had  already  made  for  your  friends." 

"  It  was  mean." 

"Steady,  Phil." 

"  It  was  mean  to  serve  me  such  a  trick." 

"  You  seem  to  think,  Phil,  that  we  run  this 
boat  simply  for  your  accommodation.  You  are 
slightly  mistaken.  I  have  done  more  now  than 
most  captains  would  have  done.  However,  I 
suppose  you  feel  bad,  and  I  won't  blame  you 
for  being  a  little  cross." 

"  I  didn't  mean  to  be  cross,"  I  added,  rather 
vexed  that  I  had  spoken  so  hastily.  "  I  do  feel 
bad.     I  have  lost  my  money,  and  lost  my  friends." 

"  And  I  have  done  the  best  I  could  to  help 
you  find  both." 

"You  have,  Captain  Davis.  Excuse  me  for 
speaking  so  hastily." 

"  All  right,  Phil ;  but  it's  a  poor  way  to  blame 
your  friends  when  things  go  wrong." 

"I   know  it   is.      Mr.  Gracewood    had    all   my 


THE  MISHAPS   OP   A  MECHANIC.  G9 

money  except  what  I  lost,  and  I  haven't  a  dollar 
left." 

"  Well,  your  passage  is  paid  to  St.  Louis,  and, 
when  the  Fawn  arrives  there,  we  will  see  what 
can  be  done  for  you." 

"Thank  you,  sir.  You  have  been  very  kind 
to  me,  and  I  am  sorry  I  said  anything  out  of 
the  way." 

"  That's  all  right  now.  I  have  no  doubt  your 
friends  will  come  down  in  the  Daylight,  and 
then  all  will  be  well  with  you.  Keep  cool,  and 
don't  fret  about  anything." 

I  tried  to  follow  this  advice,  but  I  found  it 
very  hard  work.  I  talked  over  all  the  possibili- 
ties and  probabilities  with  the  captain,  and  I 
was  almost  convinced  that  I  was  worrying  my- 
self for  nothing.  We  should  arrive  at  St.  Louis 
in  a  couple  of  days  more,  and  the  Daylight 
would  soon  follow  us.  I  Avatched  the  ever- 
changing  scene  on  the  shores  of  the  river  with 
far  less  delight  than  when  Ella  Gracewood  sat 
at  my  side.  We  passed  large  towns  and  small 
ones,  and  I  saw  the  capital  of  Missouri,  with  its 
State  House  and  other  public  buildings.  Early 
on  the  morning  of  the  third   day  after  leaving 


70  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

Kansas  City  we  passed  into  the  Mississippi.  A 
little  later  in  the  day  we  were  approaching  the 
great  city  of  St.  Louis. 

I  gazed,  with  wonder  and  astonishment,  at  the 
vast  piles  of  buildings.  I  saw  the  crowds  of 
people  hurrying  to  and  fro  on  Front  Street, 
which  borders  the  river ;  and  I  could  not  help 
feeling  what  an  insignificant  mite  I  was  in  the 
mass  of  humanity.  At  the  Castle,  where  I  was 
brought  up,  I  was  a  person  of  no  little  conse- 
quence ;  but  here,  if  I  were  to  figure  at  all,  it 
must  be  as  a  zero.  The  people  on  board  of  the 
Fawn  seemed  to  catch  the  infection  of  bustling 
activity,  for  they  began  to  hurry  back  and  forth, 
collecting  their  baggage,  and  making  prepara- 
tions to  land. 

The  boat  ran  up  to  the  levee,  and  another 
lively  scene  ensued.  Hackmen  struggled  for 
the  passengers,  and  porters  and  draymen  added 
their  share  to  the  din.  I  was  bewildered,  and 
gazed  with  my  mouth  wide  open  at  the  bustling 
life  before  me.  In  about  an  hour  the  passengers 
had  all  disappeared,  and  I  was  almost  alone  on 
the  boiler  deck,  from  which  I  viewed  the  pano- 
rama of  civilization,  so  new  and   strange,  which 


THE   MISHAPS    OF   A   MECHANIC.  71 

was  passing  before  me.  The  drays  were  carting 
off  the  freight  which  we  had  brought,  some  of 
it  from  the  vicinity  of  the  Rocky  Mountains. 
The  captain  had  told  me  I  might  occupy  my 
state-room,  and  take  my  meals  with  him  in  the 
cabin,  till  the  arrival  of  my  friends.  I  had 
nothing  to  do  but  wait,  and  when  the  scene  in 
the  vicinity  of  the  Fawn  became  rather  tame,  I 
went  on  shore.  The  levee  for  half  a  mile  was 
flanked  with  steamboats,  and  in  several  places 
the  excitement  I  had  just  witnessed  was  re- 
peated. 

Leaving  Front  Street,  I  walked  up  Market 
Street,  till  I  came  to  the  Court  House.  Follow- 
ing Fourth  Street,  I  halted,  absolutely  bewil- 
dered by  the  magnificent  proportions  of  the 
Planters'  Hotel,  which  I  believe  has  since  been 
destroyed  by  fire.  But  there  was  no  end  to  my 
amazement,  and  I  will  not  attempt  to  paint  the 
impressions  of  a  green  boy  as  he  gazed  for  the 
first  time  upon  the  elegant  public  buildings  of 
St.  Louis,  and  at  the  splendid  private  residences. 
All  day  long  I  wandered  about  the  city,  with 
my  mouth,  as  well  as  my  eyes  and  ears,  wide 
open.     I  gazed  at  the  rich  displays  of  dry  goods 


PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

in  the  shop  windows,  and  concluded  that  the 
people  of  the  city  were  made  of  money  if  they 
could  afford  to  buy  such  gorgeous  apparel.  I 
looked  for  hours  at  the  pictures  at  the  print- 
sellers',  and  stared  at  the  costly  equipages  in 
which  elegantly-dressed  ladies  were  riding.  I 
only  returned  to  the  steamer  when  my  legs 
ached  so  that  they  would  hardly  sustain  the 
weight  of  my   body. 

In  the  cabin,  at  supper,  I  astonished  the  cap- 
tain with  a  glowing  account  of  what  I  had  seen, 
just  as  though  the  scene  was  as  new  and  strange 
to  him  as  to  me.  The  next  day  I  repeated  my 
explorations ;  but  at  dinner  time  I  examined  all 
the  steamers  at  the  levee  to  satisfy  myself  that 
the  Daylight  had  not  yet  arrived.  I  ventured 
inside  of  the  Planters'  Hotel,  and  some  of  the 
public  buildings,  and  the  interior  of  them  was 
even  more  wonderful  to  me  than  the  exterior 
had  been. 

Two  days  familiarized  me  in  some  degree 
with  the  wonders  of  the  great  city,  and  after 
that  I  was  able  to  walk  through  the  streets  with 
my  mouth  shut.  I  felt  that  I  ought  to  be  at 
work.     It  was   time    for    me   to   commence   my 


THE  MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  73 

new  career  of  existence.  In  my  walks  through 
the  city,  I  had  stopped  frequently  to  observe 
the  work  where  new  buildings  were  in  process 
of  erection.  After  examining  the  work  for  a 
while,  I  came  to  the  conclusion  that  I  had  a 
great  deal  to  learn  before  I  could  be  a  carpen- 
ter. However,  I  intended  to  make  a  beginning 
as  soon  as  I  could. 

"  The  Daylight  is  just  coming  in,  Phil,"    said 
Captain  Davis,  as  I  came  in  to  supper  after  the 
tramps  of  the  second  day  in  the  city. 
"I  am  so  glad!"  I  exclaimed. 
"  Eat   your   supper,  Phil,   and   I  will   go   with 
you  then  to  the  place  where  she  lies." 

"Do  you  suppose  the  Grace  woods  are  on 
board  of  her  ?  " 

"  I  have  no  doubt  they  are ;  but  I  should  not 
be  at  all  alarmed  even  if  they  were  not." 
"Why  not?" 

"  They  may  have  missed  the  boat ;  but  we 
won't  guess  at  anything  again.  The  Daylight 
passed  us  just  as  you  came  on  board,  and  will 
make  a  landing  below." 

I  bolted  my  supper,  and  was  so  excited  I 
could  not  have  told  whether  I  was  eating  bread 


74  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

or  shavings.  When  the  captain  had  finished  his 
meal,  we  hastened  down  the  levee,  and  were 
soon  on  board  of  the  Daylight.  The  passengers 
were  just  going  on  shore,  and  I  watched  the 
stairs  by  which  they  were  descending  to  the 
main  deck  to  catch  the  first  glimpse  of  any 
familiar  face.  But  I  was  disappointed ;  and 
when  the  last  one  came  down,  my  heart  sank 
within  me. 

Captain  Davis  ascended  to  the  cabin,  and  I 
followed,  actually  trembling  with  anxiety.  We 
found  the  clerk  in  his  office,  at  work  upon  the 
manifest. 

"  Did  3Tou  take  on  any  passengers  at  Delaware 
City  ?  "  asked  Captain  Davis. 

"  Yes ;   a  dozen  of  them." 

"  Any  by  the  name  of  Gracewood  ?  " 

"  No,"  replied  the  clerk,  after  he  had  con- 
sulted  the    list. 

"  Are  you  sure,  sir  ? "  I  asked,  unwilling  to 
believe  the  unpleasant  statement. 

"  Very   sure." 

'•'  Please  to  look  again,"    said  I. 

u  You    must    excuse    me ;    1    am    very  busy. 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  75 

There  is  the  list;  you  can  examine  it  for  your- 
self." 

I  looked  over  the  names,  but  that  of  Grace- 
wood  did  not  occur. 

"  They  are  not  here,  Phil,"  said  Captain  Davis. 

"  No,  they  are  not,"  I  replied,  gloomily. 

"  We  will  wait  a  little  while,  till  the  hurry  is 
over,  and  then  we  may  ascertain  something  about 
your  friends." 

We  went  out  upon  the  boiler  deck,  where  we 
could  overlook  everything  that  transpired.  The 
deck  hands  were  landing  freight  and  baggage, 
and  everybody  was  hurrying  as  though  his  life 
depended  upon  his  celerity. 

"  I  shall  believe  they  were  all  drowned  if  I 
don't  hear  something  from  them  soon,"  I  said. 

"  That  is  not  at  all  probable,  and  I  shall  not 
believe  anything  of  that  kind  till  I  have  positive 
evidence  of  it.  It  is  just  as  easy,  and  a  great 
deal  more  pleasant,  to  think  everything  is  right 
with  them,  instead  of  wrong,  until  we  get  the 
facts." 

"  You  haven't  the  same  interest  in  the  matter 
that  I  have,  captain." 

"  That  may  be ;  but  I  don't  believe  in  making 


76  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

myself  miserable  about  anything  on  mere  guess- 
work. I  think  it  is  all  right  with  your  friends. 
But  I  must  say,  if  }tou  don't  hear  from  them 
to-day,  we  must  make  different  arrangements  for 
you,  for  my  owners  intend  to  send  the  Fawn 
down  to  New  Orleans  with  a  freight  which  we 
take  on  at  Alton.  We  shall  go  up  there  to- 
morrow." 

"  What  will  you  do  with  Mr.  Gracewood's  goods 
and  baggage  ?  " 

"  Send  them  to  the  store-house.  There  !  "  ex- 
claimed he,  suddenly,  as  he  pointed  to  a  man 
who  was  wheeling  a  box  on  shore.  "  That  is 
one  of  the  hands  who  went  with  the  Gracewoods 
in  the  small  boat.  And  there  is  the  other.  We 
shall  soon  know  what  has  become  of  your  friends." 

The  fact  that  these  two  men  had  come-  down 
in  the  Daylight  was  hopeful,  at  least,  and  Cap- 
tain Davis  and  I  hastened  down  to  question 
them ;  but  the  master  of  the  steamer  would  not 
release  them  from  their  work,  and  we  were 
obliged  to  wait  till  the  hurry  was  over  before 
we  obtained  the  coveted  information. 


THE  MISHAPS   OF  A  MECHANIC.  77 


CHAPTER   VII. 

IN  WHICH  PHIL   HEARS   FROM  HIS   FRIENDS,   AND 
VISITS   MR.    CLINCH. 

THE  two  deck  hands,  who  had  worked  their 
passage  down  on  the  Daylight,  were  relieved 
from  duty  as  soon  as  the  baggage  of  the  passen- 
gers had  been  put  on  shore.  They  followed  Cap- 
tain Davis  to  the  Fawn,  where  we  drew  from  them 
all  the  information  they  had  in  regard  to  the 
Grace  woods. 

"Where  are  the  passengers  who  went  with 
you?"  was  the  first  question  which  the  captain 
asked,  when  we  started  up  the  levee. 

"  At  Delaware  City,  sir.  The  lady  was  sick, 
and  not  quite  able  to  come  down  in  the  Daylight," 
replied  one  of  the  men. 

"  Sick !  "  I  exclaimed. 

"  Sick ;     but    not  very  bad,   I   believe.       She 


78  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

caught  a  cold  coming  down  the  river,"  answered 
the  spokesman. 

"Where  is  she?" 

"  At  a  house  in  the  town ;  I  don't  know  whose 
it  is." 

"Was  the  young  lady  sick?"  I  inquired,  anx- 
iously. 

"  No ;  she  was  first  rate." 

"  But  how  came  you  at  Delaware  City  ?  " 

"  We  couldn't  help  going  there,  Captain  Davis," 
replied  the  spokesman  of  the  two,  who  was  evi- 
dently embarrassed. 

"You  couldn't  help  it?"  said  the 'captain. 

"  No,  sir ;  we  could  not.  The  current  was  very 
swift." 

"  Explain  j^ourself,  man.  I  didn't  suppose  I 
had  sent  a  couple  of  hands  in  the  boat  with  those 
passengers  who  couldn't  handle  a  pair  of  oars." 

"  I  didn't  think  so,  either.  We  did  as  well  as 
any  men  could ;  the  gentleman  will  tell  you  so 
when  you  see  him." 

"  Well,  what  did  you  do  ?  What  was  the  mat- 
ter?"  demanded  the  captain,  impatiently. 

"  There  was  a  line  stretched  across  that  cut-off. 
I  suppose  the  man  that  owned  the  island  used  it 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  79 

to  haul  his  bateau  across  by ;  for  it  was  a  seven- 
mile  current  in  the  place." 

"  It  was  all  of  that,"  added  the  other  man,  by 
way  of  fortifying  the  statement  of  his  companion. 

"  Go  on,"  said  the  captain. 

"  Well,  sir,  the  boat  ran  on  to  that  line,  and  it 
carried  her  bow  clear  out  of  water,"  continued 
the  spokesman.  "  In  fact,  the  water  came  in  over 
the  stern,  and  wet  the  lady  who  sat  farthest  aft. 
I  sprang  forward  to  trim  the  boat,  for  I  did  not 
know  what  the  matter  was  then.  In  my  hurry  I 
lost  my  oar  overboard.  I  couldn't  help  it,  for  I 
was  thinking  only  of  saving  the  ladies  from 
drowning,  for  both  of  them  were  screaming  with 
fright." 

"  That's  so,"  said  the  other  man.  "  They  were 
scared  out  of  their  wits." 

"  When  I  went  to  the  bow,  I  couldn't  tell  what 
the  matter  was.  I  took  the  other  oar,  and 
sounded  with  it,  to  see  if  we  were  aground,  and 
then  I  felt  the  rope.  It  was  caught  just  under 
the  bow,  where  there  was  a  break  in  the  iron 
shoe.  I  put  the  end  of  the  oar  on  the  line,  and 
crowded  it  down  so  that  the  boat  could  slide  over 
it.    But  the  blade  of  the  oar  was  split,  and  the 


80  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

line  was  jammed  into  the  crack.     The  boat  went 
over,  and  when  I  tried  to  pull  in  the  oar,  it  was 
fast.     The  current  took  the  boat,  and  gave  me 
such  a  jerk  that  I  had  to  let  go,  or  go  overboard." 
"And  you  left  the  oar  fast  to  the  line?" 
"  Yes,  sir ;   I  couldn't  help  it." 
"  Perhaps  you  couldn't ;  but  go  on." 
"  We  went  on  in  spite  of  ourselves.     The  cm> 
rent  carrie'd  the  boat  through  the  cut-off  into  the 
river.     I  tried  to  pull  up  one  of  the  thwarts,  to 
use  as  a  paddle,  but  we  couldn't  start  them.     It 
was  very  dark  and  foggy,  as  you  know,  captain, 
and  we  couldn't  see  where  we  were.    We  watched 
our  chances  as  well  as  we  could,  and  tried  to  get 
hold  of  something." 

"Why  didn't  you  sing  out?" 
'  "  That's  what  we  did.  But  the  current  carried 
us  over  the  other  side  of  the  river  from  Leaven- 
worth, and  I  suppose  no  one  heard  us ;  at  any 
rate  no  one  came  to  help  us.  The  poor  lady  who 
had  got  wet  in  the  cut-off  was  shivering  with  cold, 
and  we  tried  everything  we  could  think  of  to 
stop  the  boat;  but  still  we  kept  going  down 
stream,  whirling  round  now  and  then." 
"  Well,  how  did  you  stop  her  at  last  ?  "  demand- 


THE   MISHAPS   OP   A   MECHANIC.  81 

ed  the  captain,  finding  that  the    spokesman  was 
disposed  to  be  rather  diffuse  in  his  narrative. 

"  After  we  had  been  going  about  two  hours  — 
Wasn't  it  two  hours,  Dick?" 

"It  wasn't  less  than  that." 

"  No  matter  how  long  it  was.  Go  on,"  inter- 
posed the  captain,  who  did  not  care  to  listen  to  a 
discussion  on  this  point. 

"Well,  sir,  we  almost  run  into  a  man  who  was 
crossing  the  river  in  a  bateau,  with  a  lot  of  gro- 
ceries. We  shouted  to  him,  and  he  run  his  boat 
alongside  of  us.  We  made  fast  to  him,  and  he 
pulled  us  to  the  shore.  He  told  us  we  were  on 
the  other  side  of  the  river  from  Delaware  City. 
Mr.  Gracewood  made  a  trade  with  him  to  take  us 
over  to  that  place,  and  I  helped  him  row  over, 
towing  the  boat  astern  of  us.  I  reckon  the  gentle- 
man paid  him  well  for  his  trouble." 

"  Where  did  they  go  then  ?  "  asked  the  captain. 

"They  went  to  a  house  in  the  town.  The 
lady  was  all  used  up,  and  had  chills  and  fever 
that  night;  but  they  thought  she  was  better  in 
the  morning.  They  sent  up  to  Leavenworth  for 
a  doctor." 

"Then  she  was  very  sick,"  I  added. 
6 


82  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

"No;  the  doctor  didn't  say  so.  He  thought 
she  would  be  out  in  a  week." 

"Where  did  you  go  then?"  asked  the  captain. 

"  We  found  a  place  to  sleep  on  the  levee.  .  Mr. 
Gracewood  gave  us  five  dollars  apiece,  and — " 

"  And  you  got  drunk,"  suggested  the  captain. 

"No,  sir;  we  did  not.  I  won't  say  we  didn't 
take  something,  for  we  were  cold." 

"  Why  didn't  you  go  up  to  Leavenworth, 
where  you  knew  the  boat  would  be  in  the 
morning?  " 

"  We  meant  to  do  that  in  the  morning,  as 
soon  as  it  was  daylight;  but  Dick  was  afraid 
the  Fawn  might  get  there  and  start  down  the 
river  before  we  could  tramp  up  to  the  place. 
Besides,  we  wanted  to  know  how  the  lady  Avas, 
so  as  to  let  you  know ;  and  we  didn't  like  to 
go  to  the  house  so  early  in  the  morning," 
added  the  spokesman,  glancing  at  his  com- 
panion. 

"  I  thought  it  was  safer  to  wait  on  the  levee 
till  the  Fawn  came  down,"  said  Dick.  "  We  sup- 
posed, of  course,  she  would  stop  there." 

"  I  was  of  the  same  mind  myself,"  continued 
the .  spokesman.      "  We    waited    till    most    night, 


THE   MISHAPS    OF   A   MECHANIC.  83 

when  the  Daylight  made  a  landing;  and  then 
we  saw  the  Fawn  coming ;  but  she  stood  off 
from  the  levee,  and  went  down  the  river  at 
full  speed.  I  hailed  her  as  loud  as  I  could, 
but  she  took  no  notice-  of  me.  The  captain  of 
the  Daylight  let  us  work  our  passage  down." 

"Where  is  the  boat?" 

"On  board  the   Daylight." 

"  How  was  Mrs.  Gracewood  when  you  left 
Delaware   City?"  I  inquired. 

"  She  was  too  sick  to  leave  in  the  Daylight ; 
but  the  doctor  thought  she  might  be  able  to 
take  a  boat  in  two  or  three  days,"  replied 
Dick. 

"  Now  go  and  get  the  boat,"  added  the 
captain. 

"  They  may  not  come  for  a  week,"  said  I,  as 
they  departed. 

"  Perhaps  not ;  but  you  can't  tell  much  about 
it  from  the   story  of  these  men." 

"Don't  you  think  they  told  the  truth?" 

"  In  the  main,  they  did ;  but  in  my  opinion 
they  got  drunk.  If  not,  they  would  have  re- 
turned to  Leavenworth.  Probably  they  have 
stretched  the   story  a  little.     At  any  rate,   you 


84  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

can't  tell  how  sick  the  lady  is  from  anything 
they   said." 

"  She  got  wet  in  the  boat,  and  took  cold,  I 
suppose." 

"  I  suppose  so." 

The  news  from  my  friends  was  not  very 
cheering,  but  it  was  a  relief  to  be  assured 
that  no  calamity  had  overtaken  them.  I  would 
have  gone  to  them  at  once  if  I  had  had  the 
money  to  pay  my  passage ;  and  I  said  as  much 
to   Captain  Davis. 

"  That  would  be  a  useless  step,  Phil,"  he 
replied.  "  If  the  lady  is  sick,  you  can  do  them 
no  good.  It  would  be  a  waste  of  money  for 
you  to  do  so." 

"  If  I  had  it,  I  should  be  willing  to  waste  it 
in  that  way,"  I  added. 

"  Then  it  is  fortunate  that  you  haven't  it, 
Phil.  What  do  you  mean  to  do  here  in  St. 
Louis?  Does  Mr.  Gracewood  intend  to  support 
you?" 

"I  don't  intend  to  be  supported  by  any 
one,"  I  answered,  perhaps  with  a  little  indig- 
nation ;  "  I  mean  to   support  myself." 

"  What  do  you  intend  to  do  ?  " 


THE  MISHAPS   OF  A  MECHANIC.  85 

"I  am  going  to  learn  the  carpenter's  trade, 
if  I  can  find  a  place." 

"All  right,  Phil.  That's  a  sensible  idea.  I 
didn't  know  but  you  expected  to  be  a  gentle- 
man, as  most  of  the  boys  do  who  come  from 
the  country,"  said  the  captain.  "  Come  with  me, 
my  boy,  and  we  Avill  see  about  a  place." 

"That's  just  what  I  want,  captain  —  a  chance 
to  learn  the  carpenter's  trade.  I  know  some- 
thing about  it  now." 

I  followed  the  captain  on  shore,  and  we 
went  to  a  quiet  street  in  one  of  the  humbler 
sections  of  the  city,  where  he  rang  the  bell  at 
a  house. 

"  Is  Mr.  Clinch  at  home  ? "  asked  Captain 
Davis  of  the  woman  who  answered  the  sum- 
mons. 

"  Yes,  sir ;  he  has  just  come  in  from  his  work. 
Won't  you  walk  in  ?  " 

We  entered  the  house,  and  were  shown  to 
a  very  plainly  furnished  parlor,  where  Mr.  Clinch 
soon  appeared.  He  was  clothed  in  coarse  gar- 
ments, but  he  had  a  very  intelligent  countenance, 
and  I  liked  the  looks  of  him. 

"  0,  Captain  Davis,"  exclaimed  the  carpenter, 


86  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

grasping  the  hand  of  my  companion,  "  I  am 
glad  to   see  you." 

"  It  always  does  me  good  to  take  your  hon- 
est hand,  Clinch.  This  young  man  is  Phil 
Farringford,  and  he  comes  from  the  upper  Mis- 
souri. He  is  a  smart  boy,  and  wants  to  learn 
your  trade." 

Mr.  Clinch  took  me  by  the  hand,  and  gave 
me  a  cordial  greeting. 

"  I  don't  take  any  apprentices,  now,"  he 
added.  "  I  find  it  don't  pay.  As  soon  as  we 
get  a  boy  so  that  he  can  drive  a  nail  without 
pounding  his  fingers,  he  wants  a  man's  wages, 
or  runs  away  as  soon  as  he  is  worth  anything 
to  me." 

"  If  I  make  a  trade,  sir,  I  shall  stick  to  it," 
I  ventured  to   say. 

"  You  look  like  an  honest  young  man,  but  I 
can't  take  apprentices,  as  we  used  to  in  former 
years." 

"  Phil  knows  something  about  the  business 
now,"  interposed  the  captain.  "  He  is  handy 
with  tools,  and  is  as  tough  as  an  oak  knot.  He 
knows  what  hard  work  is,  and  has  just  come 
out  of  the  woods." 


THE  MISHAPS    OF   A   MECHANIC.  87 

"But  I  can't  take  a  boy  into  my  family," 
continued  Mr.  Clinch ;  "  I  haven't  room,  and  it 
makes  the  work  too  hard  for  my  wife." 

"  He  might  board  somewhere  else,"  said  the 
captain. 

'"  That  indeed.     I  like  the  looks  of  the  boy." 

"If  you  can  do  anything  for  him,  I  shall  re- 
gard it  as  a  favor  to  me,"  added  my  friend. 

"  I  should  be  very  glad  to  serve  you,  Captain 
Davis.  I  want  more  help,  but  a  boy  isn't  of 
much  use.     How  old  are  you,  Phil  ?  " 

"Thirteen,  sir." 

"You  look  older.     What  can  you  do?" 

I  told  him  what  I  could  do ;  that  I  could 
handle  a  saw,  axe,  hammer,  and  auger;  that  I 
had  built  a  bateau,  made  boxes,  and  done  sim- 
ilar work.  He  seemed  to  be  very  sceptical,  but 
finally  agreed  to  give  me  three  dollars  a  week, 
which  he  thought  would  board  and  clothe  me,  if, 
upon  trial,  I  proved  to  be  worth  that.  He  told 
me  where  he  was  at  work,  and  wished  me  to 
be  on  hand  the  next  morning. 


88  PLANE   AND   PLANK,    OR 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

IN  WHICH   PHIL   GOES   TO   WORK,   AND   MEETS   AN  OLD 
ACQUAINTANCE. 

"  T^VERYTHING  depends  upon  yourself  now, 

M  A  Phil,"  said  Captain  Davis,  as  we  walked 
back  to  the  steamer.  "  When  Clinch  finds  that 
you  are  worth  more  than  three  dollars  a  week, 
he  will  give  you  more." 

"  I  didn't  expect  any  more  than  that,"  I  replied. 
"If  it  will  pay  my  board  for  a  time,  I  shall  be 
satisfied.  I  will  do  the  best  I  can,  and  I  hope 
my  wages  will  be  increased  very  soon." 

"  Now  you  want  a  boarding-house,"  continued 
the  captain.  "  I  don't  know  where  to  look  for 
one,  but  I  suppose  you  will  not  think  of  living 
at  the  Planters'  Hotel?" 

"  Not  exactly,   sir." 

We  entered  a  grocery  store,  near  the  house 
of  Mr.  Clinch,  where  the  captain  was  acquainted, 


THE  MISHAPS    OF  A   MECHANIC.  89 

and  lie  inquired  for  a  suitable  boarding-place 
for  a  boy  like  me. 

"If  lie's  a  good  boy,  I  know  just  the  place 
for  him,"  replied  the  grocer. 

"  He  is  as  good  a  boy  as  there  is  in  the  world/' 
answered  the  captain,  with  a  zeal  that  caused 
me   to   blush. 

"Mrs.  Greenough,  who  lives  over  my  store, 
spoke  to  me,  a  few  days  ago,  about  a  boy. 
She  is  an  elderly  woman,  whose  husband  died 
about  a  year  ago,  leaving  her  this  house.  She 
has  no  other  property  except  her  furniture, 
and  the  rent  of  this  store  about  pays  her  ex- 
penses. She  is  a  little  timid,  and  does  not 
like  to  be  alone  in  the  house  at  night.  She  is 
a  nice  woman,  and  perhaps  she  will  take  your 
young  man  to  board.  She  wanted  one  of  my 
•  young  men  to  occupy  a  room  up  stairs,  but  both 
of  them  live  at  home." 

"We  will  go  up  and  see  her.  This  boy  is 
going  to  work  for  Clinch  to-morrow,  and  this 
will  be  a  good  locality  for  him." 

"Just  the  place,"  added  the  grocer,  as  he 
conducted  us  up  stairs  to  the  rooms  of  Mrs. 
Greenough. 


90  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

The  house  was  a  small  one,  and  the  store 
occupied  the  whole  of  the  ground  floor,  except 
a  small  entry.  It  was  three  stories  high,  with 
a  flat  roof,  and  I  judged  that  the  tenement 
could  not  contain  more  than  four  rooms.  We 
werp  taken  up  stairs,  and  found  the  lady  in 
her  little  parlor.  She  was  about  fifty  years 
old,  and  did  not  appear  to  be  in  good  health. 
The  grocer  explained  our  business,  and  having 
vouched  for  the  good  character  of  Captain  Davis, 
he  left  us. 

"  I  didn't  think  of  taking  a  boy  to  board," 
said  Mrs.  Greenough.  "  I  thought  if  I  could 
get  one  of  the  young  men  in  the  store  to  sleep 
in  the  house,  I  should  feel  safer.  But  I  don't 
know  but  I  might  take  him,  if  he  is  a  very 
steady  boy." 

"  Steady  as  a  judge,  Mrs.  Greenough,"  re- 
plied Captain  Davis.  "He's  going  to  be  a  car- 
penter." 

"  Is  he  ?  My  poor  husband  was  a  carpenter," 
added  the  lady,  wiping  a  tear  from  her  eye. 
".  I  am  a  lone   woman  now." 

"  Phil  will  be  good  company  for  you.  He 
knows    more   than  most    boys    of   his    age.     He 


vTHE   MISHAPS    OF   A   MECHANIC.  91 

has  fought  through  one  campaign  against  the 
Indians,  and  is  a  dead  shot  with  his  rifle." 

"Not  always,   captain,"  I   remonstrated. 

"  He  has  brought  down  his  man,  at  any  rate. 
He  speaks  French,   and  — " 

"  O,  no,  I  don't,  captain.  I  have  studied  it, 
and  can  read  it  a  little." 

"I  don't  talk  any  French,"  added  the  old 
lady,  with  a  smile ;  so  that  won't  make  any 
difference.  I  thought,  at  one  time,  I  would  take 
a  boy  who  would  help  me,  and  work  a  little 
for  his  board,  but  1  concluded  I  couldn't  afford 
to  do  that ;  for  I  don't  have  anything  but  the 
rent  of  the  store  to  live  on." 

"  Well,  Mrs.  Greenough,  you  can  split  the 
difference.  Phil  can't  afford  to  pay  much  for 
his  board.  He  can  help  you  a  little  in  the  morn- 
ing and  at  night." 

"I  haven't  much  to  do,  except  to  bring  up 
the  wood  and  water  from  the  cellar,  which  is 
down  two  flights,  and  it's  rather  hard  work  for 
me,  for  I'm  not  very  strong." 

"  I  shall  be  very  glad  to  help  you,  Mrs. 
Greenough,"  I  added. 

"  How  much  can  you  take  him  for,  madam  ? " 


92  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

said  the  captain,  beginning  to  be  a  little  im- 
patient. 

The  old  lady  had  not  made  up  her  mind  on 
this  important  subject,  and  the  captain  sug- 
gested two  dollars  a  week  as  a  fair  price,  if  I 
helped  about  the  house  when  I  had  time.  She 
was  satisfied  with  this  amount,  and  I  am  sure 
t  was;  so  the  bargain  was  closed.  Mrs.  Gree- 
nough  wanted  to  know  more  about  me,  and 
the  captain  spoke  so  handsomely  of  me,  that 
my  modesty  will  not  permit  me  to  quote  his 
testimony.  I  walked  back  to  the  steamer  with 
Captain  Davis,  and  after  thanking  him,  from 
the  depths  of  my  heart,  for  all  his  kindness 
and  care,  I  took  my  leave  of  him.  He  told 
me  he  should  send  all  the  effects  of  Mr.  Grace- 
wood  to  the  storehouse  of  his  owners,  where 
they  could  be  obtained  on  his  arrival.  He 
advised  me  to  write  to  my  friends  at  once,  and 
I  promised  to  do  so  that  night.  Taking  the 
box,  which  contained  the  few  articles  of  value 
I  possessed,  under  my  arm,  and  the  rifle  I  had 
brought  from  my  forest  home,  I  hastened  to  my 
new  boarding-house. 

Before  I   did  anything   else,  I  wrote   the   let- 


THE  MISHAPS   OF   A  MECHANIC.  93 

ter  to  Mr.  Gracewood,  and  carried  it  to  the 
post-office.  On  my  return,  Mrs.  Greenough 
showed  me  my  room.  It  was  on  the  third 
floor,  in  the  rear  of  her  own  apartment.  I 
must  say  that  it  looked  like  a  boudoir  in  a 
palace  to  me.  It  was  plainly  but  very  neatly 
furnished.  She  told  me  I  could  put  my  clothes 
in  the  drawers  of  the  bureau;  but  I  answered 
that  I  had  none  to  put  there,  except  a  single 
woollen  shirt,  and  a  pair  of  socks,  which  I 
had  washed  myself  on  board  of  the  steamer. 
I  wore  a  suit  of  "  civilized  clothes,"  as  we 
called  them  at  the  settlement;  and  I  had  a 
pair  of  woollen  shirts,  and  two  pairs  of  socks. 
My  landlady  thought  my  wardrobe  was  rather 
scanty,  but  I  considered  it  all-sufficient,  and 
did  not  worry  because  I  could  not  follow  the 
fashion. 

I  opened  my  box,  and  took  from  it  the  little 
dress  and  other  garments  which  I  had  worn 
when  old  Matt  Rockwood  picked  me  up,  on 
the  Missouri  River.  Mrs.  Greenough's  curi- 
osity was  excited,  and  I  told  her  all  I  knew 
about  my  past  history;  She  was  deeply  inter- 
ested in  the   narrative,   and  asked  me   a   great 


94  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OE 

many  questions  about  the  Gracewoods,  which 
I  answered  to  the  best  of  my  ability.  I  was 
well  pleased  with  my  new  home.  My  land- 
lady was  very  kind  and  motherly,  and  when  I 
retired  that  night,  I  thanked  God  for  his  kind- 
ness in  directing  my  steps  to  such  a  pleasant 
abode. 

When  I  awoke  the  next  morning,  I  heard  a 
church  clock  striking  five.  I  rose  and  made 
my  simple  toilet  in  less  time  than  I  could 
have  done  it  even  a  year  later.  I  went  down 
into  the  kitchen,  which  was  the  room  Mrs. 
Greenough  occupied  most  of  the  time,  and 
made  a  fire  in  the  stove.  1  had  done  everything 
1  could  find  to  do  when  the  landlady  came 
down.  > 

"  You  are  quite  handy  about  house,  Phil,  said 
she,  with  a  cheerful  smile. 

"  I  ought  to  be.  I  used  to  keep  house  at  the 
clearing.     I  can   cook  and  wash." 

"  What  can  you   cook  ?  " 

"I  can  boil  potatoes,  bake  or  roast  them;  I 
can  fry  and  boil  bacon,  and  I  can  bake  bread. 
We  didn't  have  so  many  things  to  work  with 
as  you  do  here." 


THE  MISHAPS   OF   A  MECHANIC.  95 

"  Can  you  make  pies  and  cake  ? " 

"  No ;  we  never  had  those  things  at  the  clear- 
ing until  Mrs.   Gracewood  came  there." 

"  They  were   rich  folks,  you  said." 

"Yes;  they  have  plenty  of  money;  but  it 
did  not  do  them  much  good  out  in  the  woods.  I 
should  like  to  hear  how  Mrs.  Gracewood  is." 

"I  hope  she  is  better.  When  they  come  you 
will  have   some   strong  friends." 

"  Yes ;  but  I  intend  to  take  care  of  myself. 
They  will  go*  among  big  folks,  where  I  cannot 
go ;  but  I  hope  I  shall  see  Miss  Ella  some- 
times." 

"  Of  course  you  will." 

"  She  is  a  beautiful "  young  lady,"  I  added, 
warmly. 

"But  you  may  find  your  father  and  mother 
one  of  these   days." 

"I  hardly  expect  to  do  that;  I  doubt  whether 
they  are  living." 

"  From  what  you  say,  I  should  think  you 
might  find  out  who  they  are.  Of  course  they 
had  some  relations  somewhere,  and  perhaps  they 
will  be  willing  to  take   care   of  you." 

"  I  don't  want  any  one  to.  take    care    of  me ; 


96  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

I  mean  to  take  care  of  myself.  Mr.  Grace- 
wood  has  fifteen  hundred  dollars  belonging  to 
me." 

"Well,  that's  comfortable.  If  you  should  be 
sick,  you  will  not  want  for  anything." 

We  talked  over  the  past  and  the  present  till 
breakfast  was  ready.  The  fried  bacon  and  po- 
tatoes looked  like  old  friends,  and  I  did  ample 
justice  to  the  fare.  I  am  not  sure  that  my 
landlady  was  not  alarmed  when  she  realized 
my  eating  capacity,  as  compared  with  the 
price  I  was  to  pay  for  my  board.  At  half  past 
six  I  started  for  the  building  which  Mr.  Clinch 
was  putting  up.  It  was  a  large  storehouse, 
near  the  levee. 

"  Good,  Phil !  I'm  glad  to  see  you  on  hand 
in  season,"  said  my  employer. 

"  I  mean  to  be  on  time  always,  sir." 

"  I'm  paying  my  best  men  two  dollars  a  day 
now,"  added-  Mr.   Clinch. 

"  Does  that  young  man  get  two  dollars  a 
day?"  I  asked,  pointing  to  a  boy  of  eighteen 
or  nineteen,  who  was  putting  on  his  overalls  in 
front  of  the  building. 

"No;    that's    Morgan    Blair.     He    came    down 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  97 

from  Illinois  last  spring.  I  give  him  a  dollar 
a  day.  He  doesn't  know  the  business,  and  that 
is  more  than  he  is  worth.  You  will  work  with 
Conant." 

Calling  one  of  the  workmen  who  answered 
to  this  name,  he  directed  him  to  take  me  un- 
der his  charge.  The  frame  of  the  building 
was  up,  and  we  were  to  be  engaged  in  board- 
ing it. 

"  Come  along,  my  boy ;  we  will  take  the  stiff- 
ening out  of  you  in  about  two  hours,"  said 
Conant,  as  he  led  the   way  to  the   stage. 

"  All  right ;  when  1  break  down  I  will  give 
you  leave  to  bury  me." 

"  Do  you  think  you  can  lift  your  end  of  a 
board  ?  " 

"  I  can ;  and  lift  both  ends,  if  need  be." 

"You  have  got  the  pluck,  but  it's  hard  work 
for  a  boy." 

"I  will  keep  my  side  up." 

Mr.  Clinch  had  given  me  a  hammer  and  a 
bag  of  nails,  which  I  tied  around  my  body,  as 
I  saw  the  other  men  do.  I  was  strong  and 
tough,  and  could  easily  handle  any  lumber 
used  on  the  work.  I  carried  my  end  of  each 
7 


98  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

board  up  to  the  frame,  and  I  am  sure  I  drove 
as  many  nails  as  Conant.  But  I  will  not .  de- 
scribe the  process  by  which  the  building  was 
erected.  I  did  my  full  share  of  the  work  until 
noon. 

"Don't  you  want  to  go  to  bed  now?"  asked 
Conant,  when  we  knocked  off. 

"Go  to  bed!     No.     Why  should  I?" 

"  Ain't  you  tuckered  out  ?  " 

"  No,  not  at  all ;  I  don't  feel  quite  so  fresh 
as  I  did  this  morning,  but  I  shall  be  all  right 
again  when  I  get   my  dinner." 

"  You  are  a  tough   'un,  then." 

"Well,  Conant,  how  does  Phil  get  along?" 
asked  Mr.  Clinch,  as  we  came  down  from  the 
stage. 

"  Tip-top ;  he  has  done  a  man's  work  —  twice 
as  much  as  Morgan,"  replied  Conant,  with  more 
magnanimity  than  I  had  given  him  credit  for. 

"All  right.  Phil,  I  am  glad  you  are  getting 
along  well.  It  will  be  easier  work  when  we 
get  the  building  covered." 

In  going  home  to  dinner,  I  went  pretty  near 
the  steamboat  levee.  A  boat  had  just  come  in, 
and   I   wanted   to   know    if   it   had    come    from 


THE  MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  99 

the  Missouri,  for  I  was  very  anxious  to  hear 
from  the  Gracewoods.  I  hastened  towards  the 
landing.  I  met  the  passengers  as  they  came 
up,  and  on  inquiry  of  one  of  them  learned  that 
the  steamer  was  from  St.  Joe,  but  she  had  not 
stopped  at  Delaware  City;  so  of  course  the 
Gracewoods  could  not  have   come  in  her. 

I  was  about  to  leave,  when  1  perceived  Mr. 
Leoniclas  Lynchpinne  coming  across  the  levee. 
I  thought  that  I  had  business  with  him,  and  I  has- 
tened to  resume  the  relations  with  him  which 
had  been   interrupted  at  Leavenworth. 


100  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 


CHAPTER  IX. 

IN  WHICH    PHIL    MEETS   A   SEEDY   GENTLEMAN  BY   THE 
NAME    OF   FARPJNGFORD. 

R.  LEONIDAS  LYNCHPINNE,  otherwise 
Lynch,  had  a  small  valise  in  his  hand, 
and  was  sauntering  leisurely  along,  as  though 
earth  had  no  sorrow  for  him,  and  he  was  not 
responsible  in  St.  Louis  for  an  infamous  act  done 
in  Leavenworth.  I  wanted  my  money ;  in  fact, 
I  needed  it.  For  Mrs.  Greenough's  remarks  had 
assured  me  that  my  wardrobe  was  entirely  inade- 
quate to  the  requirements  of  civilized  life. 

"  How  do  you  do,  Mr.  Leonidas  Lynchpinne  ?  " 
I  began,  making  towards  him. 

He  glanced  at  me  very  contemptuously,  and 
continued  on  his  way.  I  had  expected  to  as- 
tonish and  confound  him,  but  the  result  did  not 
realize  my  anticipations.  It  was  decidedly  a 
look  of  disdain  that  he  bestowed  upon  me,  which 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  101 

I  thought  was  adding  insult  to  injury.  So  far  I 
was  disgusted  with  his  conduct ;  but  1  had  no 
idea  of  abandoning  the  purpose  I  had  in  view. 

"  I  want  to  see  you,  Mr.  Lynchpinne,"  I  con- 
tinued, following  him,  and  taking  position  at  his 
side. 

"  Who  are  you  ? "  he  demanded,  halting,  and 
giving  me  another  contemptuous  look. 

"  Don't  you  know  me,  Mr.  Lynchpinne  ?  " 

"My  name  is  not  Lynchpinne." 

"  Lynch,  then.     Don't  you  know  me  ?  " 

"  No." 

"  Yes,  you  do." 

"  You  impertinent  puppy  !  " 

"  0,  yes !  All  that's  very  pretty,  but  I  want 
my  money." 

"  What  money  ?  What  do  you  mean,  you  saucy 
young  cub  ?  " 

"  Perhaps  I  am  saucy  ;  so  was  Nathan  when 
he  said  to  David,  '  Thou  art  the  man  ! '  and  that's 
just  what  I  say  to  you." 

"  Go  about  your  business,"  said  he,  angrily, 
as  he  resumed  his  walk. 

"My  business,  just  now,  is   to   get  back   the 


102  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

money   you   stole   from   me ;    and   I'm    going   to 
stick  to  it,  too." 

"  Stole  !     How  dare  you  use  that  word  to  me?" 
"  Because   I   believe    in    speaking    the    truth, 
even  when  it  is  not  pleasant  to  do  so." 

"  Clear  out,  and  don't  come  near  me  again." 
"  Hand  over  my  money,  and  I  shall  be  glad  to 
do  so." 

"  If  you  don't  leave,  I'll  call  a  policeman." 
"  I  wish  you  would.     I  should  like  to  tell  him 
my  story.     If  you  don't  call  one,  I  shall,  as  soon 
as  I  see  him.     I'll  follow  you  till   your  legs  or 
mine  give  out." 

"  You  evidently  take  me  for  some  other  per- 
son, boy,"  said  he,  halting  on  Front  Street,  per- 
haps afraid  that  we  might  meet  a  policeman  —  a 
thing  which  has   been  known  to  happen. 

"  No,  I  don't ;  I  take  you  for  Lynch,  the  man 
that  stole  my  money,  and  I  want  a  policeman  to 
take  you  for  that,  too." 

"  See  here,  boy  ;  I  can't  be  annoyed  in  this  man- 
ner in  the  public  street,"  he  replied,  in  a  kind  of 
confidential  tone.     "  What  do  you  want  of  me  ?  " 
"  I  told  you  what  I  wanted  —  my  money." 
"  I  know  nothing   about   your  money.     If  you 


THE   MISHAPS    OF   A   MECHANIC.  103 

want  to  see  me,  come  to  the  Planters'  Hotel  at 
eight  o'clock  this  evening,  and  I  will  meet  you." 

"  I  think  not.  I  don't  mean  to  lose  sight  of 
ypu.  Lynch." 

"  If  you  don't  clear  out,  I'll  chastise  you  on 
the  ground  for  an  impudent  puppy." 

"  Well,  sir,  when  you  get  ready  to  chastise, 
you  begin,"  I  replied,  as  I  glanced  at  his  slender 
form.  "  If  I  don't  keep  up  my  end,  you  can 
have  the  money  you  stole." 

"  How  dare  you  —  " 

But  he  checked  himself,  for  two  or  three  per- 
sons had  already  stopped;  and  their  example 
was  so  contagious,  in  a  populous  city,  that  there 
was  danger  of  collecting  a  crowd,  to  which  my 
sensitive  friend  seemed  to  have  very  strong 
constitutional  objections.  He  moved  on,  and  I 
followed  him  into  Market  Street.  I  was  anxious 
to  meet  a  policeman,  that  I  might  state  my. case 
to  him,  and  invoke  his  aid ;  but  the  officers,  jus- 
tifying all  the  traditions  of  their  craft,  were  some- 
where else,  because  they  were  wanted  in  Market 
Street. 

Lynch  quickened  his  pace,  and  turned  into 
Fourth  Street ;  but  I  kept  close  to  his  heels  till 


104  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

we  were  near  the  Planters'  Hotel.  I  concluded 
that  he  was  going  to  this  grand  establishment, 
and  that  he  expected  to  shake  me  off  within  its 
sumptuous  walls.  I  did  not  believe  he  would, 
though  the  want  of  an  officer  was  a  sore  incon- 
venience to  me.  Just  as  he  was  about  to  cross 
the  street,  a  shabby  genteel  and  very  seedy  gen- 
tleman confronted  him. 

"  How  are  you,  Lynch  ?  "  exclaimed  the  dilapi- 
dated individual,  extending  his  hand. 

"  How  do  you  do,  Farringford  ?  "  replied  Lynch. 

Farringford  !  This  must  be  the  decayed 
steamboat  owner  of  whom  Lynch  had  before 
spoken  to  me.  He  was  apparently  about  forty- 
five  years  of  age,  and  he  looked  as  though  the 
world  had  used  him  very  roughly. 

"  I'm  glad  to  see  you,  Lynch,"  said  Farring- 
ford. "  I'm  always  glad  to  see  an  old  friend. 
I'm  hard  up,  and  I  want  to  borrow  a  dollar." 

Lynch  took  two  half  dollars  in  silver  from  his 
pocket.  Perhaps  the  present  generation  of  young 
people  never  saw  a  half  dollar  j  but  it  is  true 
that  there  was  a  time  when  such  a  coin  was  in 
general  use  !  He  handed  the  money  to  the  seedy 
gentleman,  and  then  said  something  to  him  in  a 


THE  MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  105 

whisper,  which  I  could  not  hear,  though  I  had 
planked  myself  close  by  the  side  of  the  villain. 
Lynch  then  turned  to  cross  the  street,  and  I 
started  to  follow  him. 

"  See  here,  my  lad,"  said  Farringford,  grasping 
me  by  the  arm. 

"  Let  me  alone  !  "  I  cried,  struggling  to  escape, 
fearful  that  I  should  lose  sight  of  Lynch. 

"  Hold  still,  my  lad.  I  only  want  to  speak  to 
you,"  replied  Farringford,  in  cheerful  tones, 
though  he  did  not  relax  his  grasp.  "  Don't  be 
afraid.  I  won't  hurt  you.  I've  known  you  ever 
since  you  were  a  baby." 

"  Known  me  ?  " 

I  was  startled  by  his  words,  for  they  seemed 
to  have  some  relation  to  the  mystery  of  my  being. 

"  Certainly  I  have,  Phil." 

"  Do  you  know  me?"  I  demanded,  forgetting, 
for  the  moment,  all  about  Lynch  and  my  hard 
money. 

"  Known  you  from  your  babyhood,  my  lad," 
said  he,  glancing  towards  the  hotel. 

This  act  reminded  me  of  my  business  again. 
I  turned  my  face  towards  the  hotel.  Lynch  had 
disappeared.    . 


106  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

"  That's  all,  Phil ;  you  can  go  now,"  said  Far- 
ringford,  laughing. 

"  What  do  you  mean,  sir  ?  " 

"That's  all,  my  lad.  I  only  stopped  you  to 
prevent  you  from  following  my  friend." 

u  You  said  you  knew  me." 

"  Never  saw  you  or  heard  of  you  before  in 
my  life,"  chuckled  he,  evidently  pleased  at  the 
trick  he  had  played  upon  me. 

I  left  him,  and  rushed  into  the  hotel.  I  looked 
for  Lynch  in  all  the  public  rooms,  but  I  could 
not  find  him.  I  inquired  at  the  office  for  him, 
and  the  clerks  answered  me,  very  curtly,  that 
no  such  person  was  in  the  house.  I  asked  a 
porter,  who  sat  near  the  entrance,  describing 
Lynch.  He  had  seen  the  gentleman,  but  did 
not  know  where  he  was ;  he  had  not  taken  a 
room  or  registered  his  name,  and  had  probably 
gone  away  again.  It  seemed  to  me  that  every- 
thing was  going  against  me.  I  had  to  go  home 
to  dinner,  as  I  could  spend  no  more  time  in  look- 
ing for  him  then ;  but  1  determined  to  renew 
the   search  in  the   evening. 

As  I  walked  down  Fourth  Street,  I  overtook 
Farringford,  who   had   evidently  spent  a  portion 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  107 

of  the  dollar  borrowed  of  Lynch  for  liquor.  I 
accosted  him,  for  I  thought  that  I  might  recover 
my  money  through  his  agency,  as  he  evidently 
knew  Lynch. 

"  Ah,  my  lad  !  You  didn't  find  him,"  chuckled 
the  toper. 

"  I  did  not.  I  have  heard  of  you,  Mr.  Farring- 
ford,  and  I  can  put  you  in  the  way  of  making 
some  money." 

"Can  you?  Then  I'm  your  man.  Most  dis- 
tinctly, I'm  your  man,"  he  replied  with  emphasis. 
"  There's  only  two  things  in  this  world  that  I 
want,  and  those  are  money  and  whiskey.  If  I 
get  the  whiskey,  I  don't  care  for  the  money ; 
and  if  I  have  the  money,  I  can  always  get  the 
whiskey." 

"  I  should  like  to  meet  you  somewhere  this 
evening,  for  I  am  in  a  hurry  now." 

"  I  will  be  in  the  bar-room  of  the  Planters' 
Hotel  at  seven  o'clock  this  evening,  if  you  have 
any  money  for  me.  But  what's  it  all  about? 
Can't  you  tell  me  now  ?  " 

"  I  haven't  time  now." 

"  Very  well.  Planters'  Hotel — bar-room — seven 
o'clock.     I'll  be  there  if  they  don't  turn  me  out 


108  PLANE   AND    PLANK,    OR 

before  that  time.  If  they  do,  you  will  find  me 
in  the  street." 

Although  I  was  not  very  confident  he  would 
keep  his  appointment,  it  was  the  best  I  could 
do.  If  he  failed  to  be  there,  he  was  evidently 
a  character  so  noted,  that  I  could  easily  find 
him.  I  hastened  to  my  dinner,  and  reached 
Mrs.  Greenough's  rather  late.  I  explained  the 
reason  of  my  tardiness,  which  was  quite  satis- 
factory. My  landlady  hoped  that  I  should  re- 
cover my  money,  and  I  hoped  so  too  —  a  degree 
of  unanimity  which  does  not  always  exist  be- 
tween landlady  and  boarder. 

I  was  on  the  work  as  the  clock  struck  one, 
but  I  had  to  do  some  running  that  noon,  in  order 
to  protect  my  reputation.  Conant  did  not  drive 
business  in  the  afternoon  as  he  had  in  the  fore- 
noon, when  I  think  he  intended  to  wear  me  out. 
We  worked  steadily,  and  I  kept  my  end  of  the 
board  up.  I  was  not  sorry  to  hear  the  clock 
strike  six,  for  I  was  tired,  though  perhaps  not 
more  so  than  Conant  himself.  I  went  home,  ate 
my  supper,  did  my  chores  in  the  house,  and  at 
seven  o'clock  I  was  in  the  bar-room  of  the  Plant- 
ers' Hotel.    It  was  no  place  for  a  boy,  or  a  man 


THE  MISHAPS   OP  A  MECHANIC.  109 

either,  for  that  matter.  No  one  was  what  qould 
be  called,  in  good  society,  disreputably  drunk, 
unless  it  was  the  seedy  gentleman  whom  I  met 
by  appointment ;  and  even  he  was  able  to  handle 
himself  tolerably  well.  No  doubt  he  would  have 
been  more  intoxicated  if  he  had  not  drank  up 
the  dollar  he  had  borrowed;  but  his  wits  were 
not  wholly  stupefied. 

"  Well,  my  lad,  you  have  come,  and  so  have 
I,"  said  Farringford,  when  I  entered  the  room. 
"  Both  come,  and  that  makes  two  of  us,  all  told." 

"Yes.     I  wanted  to   see  you  about  — " 

"  Stop  a  minute,  my  lad,"  interposed  he,  put- 
ting his  trembling  hand  upon  my  shoulder.  "  Let 
us  go  to  work  right.  When  I  used  to  run  steam- 
boats, we  had  to  put  in  wood  and  water  before 
Vve   could  get  up  steam." 

"  When  did  you  run  steamboats  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Ten  or  fifteen  years  ago.  I  was  a  rich  man 
then ;  but  now  I'm  as  poor  as  a  church  mouse 
with  his  hair  all  singed  off.  I  am ;  but  I'm  jolly  ; 
yes,  I  am  jolly.     Let's  proceed  to  business." 

"  Did  you  own  a  steamboat  —  " 

li  Stop,  my  lad ;  I  owned  half  a  dozen  of  them. 
But   that's  no  matter  now.     Do   you  happen  to 


110  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

have  a  dollar  in  your  pocket  —  one  dollar,  my 
lad." 

"  No,  sir ;   I  have  not." 

"Not  a  dollar?" 

"  No,  I  have  not." 

"  Do  you  happen  to  have  half  a  dollar  in  your 
pocket,  my  lad  ?  " 

"  Not  even  half  a  dollar,  sir." 

"  Your  name  is  —  somebody  told  me  your 
name,"  said  he,  musing. 

"Phil,  sir." 

"Phil,  do  you  always  speak  the  truth?" 

"  I  always  endeavor  to  do  so,"  I  replied. 

"  I  hope  so.  Truth  is  mighty,  and  must  pre- 
vail.    You  should  always  speak  the  truth." 

"As  you  did,  to-day,  when  you  said  you  had 
known  me  from  my  babyhood." 

"  Boys  must  speak  the  truth,  whether  men  do 
or  not.  Did  you  speak  the  truth  when  you  said 
you  had  not  even  half  a  dollar  ? " 

"I  did." 

"  Have  you  any  money  ?  " 

"  I  have  thirty  cents." 

"  Then  lend  me  a  quarter." 

"  It's  all  I  have." 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  Ill 

"  We  can't  do  any  business  till  this  little  mat- 
ter is  attended  to,"  said  he,  with  tipsy  solemnity. 
"  You  shall  be  paid,  my  lad;  you  shall  be  paid  — 
when  I  pay  the  rest  of  my  creditors." 

Finding  it  impossible  to  proceed  any  farther 
without  complying  with  his  request,  I  reluc- 
tantly gave  him  the  quarter ;  but  I  felt  guilty 
in  doing  so.  He  went  to  the  bar,  drank,  and 
returned  to  the  corner  where  he  had  left  me. 


112  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 


CHAPTER  X. 

IN  WHICH   PHIL    LISTENS   TO   A   VERY   IMPRESSIVE 
TEMPERANCE   LECTURE. 

FARRINGFORD  was  very  chipper  when  he 
returned  to  me.  He  had  drank  half  a  tum- 
bler of  whiskey,  and  appeared  to  be  prepared,  to 
his  own  satisfaction,  for  any  business  which  might 
be  presented  to  him. 

"  Now,  my  lad,  I'm  ready.  I'm  refreshed.  I'm 
invigorated.  I'm  inspired.  In  a  word,  I'm  pre- 
pared for  the  consideration  of  the  important  mat- 
ter you  proposed  to  bring  before  me,"  said  he. 

"  I  am  very  glad  to  hear  it,  sir ;  I  wish  to  tell 
you  —  " 

"  Stop  a  moment,  my  lad.  You  have  a  name, 
doubtless.  Do  you  happen  to  remember  what 
it  is?" 

"  Very  distinctly,  Mr.  Farringford.  You  may 
call  me  Phil." 


THE  MISHAPS   OP  A   MECHANIC.  113 

"  Phil ;  that  is  very  good  as  far  as  it  goes.  Phil 
may  stand  for  Philip,  Phillimore,  Philippians,  Phi' 
losophy." 

"It  stands  for  Philip  with  me,  sir." 

"  Philip ;  I  had  a  brother  once  of  that  name, 
but  he  is  no  longer  living.  If  he  were,  he  would 
blush  to  own  his  brother.  But  no  matter;  that 
is  all  past  and  gone.  You  can  proceed  with  your 
business,  Philip." 

Placing  his  elbows  upon  the  little  table  be- 
tween us,  he  rested  his  chin  upon  his  trembling 
hands,  and  fixed  his  gaze  upon  me.  He  was  a 
singular  man,  and,  tipsy  as  he  was,  I  was  deeply 
interested  in  him. 

"  You  know  Lynch,  the  person  you  met  oppo- 
site the  Planters'  Hotel  to-day  noon." 

"  I  know  him,  Philip ;  but,  in  a  word,  I  don't 
know  any  good  of  him.     Go  on." 

"  That  man  robbed  me  of  all  the  money  I  had, 
except  thirty  cents  —  nearly  a  hundred  dollars." 

"  Philip,  you  told  me  you  were  in  the  habit 
of  speaking  the  truth ;  or  rather  that  you  en- 
deavored to  speak  the  truth." 

"  Yes,  sir ;  I  do  endeavor  to  speak  the  truth.     1 


114  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

am  ■willing  to  go  a  point  farther,  and  say  that 
I  have  thus  far  been  very  successful." 

"  The  statement  that  Lynch  robbed  you  of 
nearly  a  hundred  dollars  implies  the  statement 
tnat  you  had  nearly  a  hundred  dollars,"  said  he, 
with  his  tipsy  solemnity,  which  was  amusing.  "  It 
is  self-evident  that  he  could  not  have  robbed  you 
of  this  money,  if  you  had  not  had  it." 

"  Certainly  not  sir.     I  did  have  it." 

"  Where  and  by  what  means  should  a  boy  of 
your  tender  years  obtain  nearly  a  hundred  dol- 
lars ?  In  a  word,  Philip,  where  did  you  get  your 
money  ?  " 

"  It  was  a  part  of  what  was  left  me  by  my  fos- 
ter-father, who  died  last  spring.  I  had  it  with 
me  to  pay  my  expenses  till  I  could  get  into  busi- 
ness and  pay  my  way.  I  expect  my  friends  will 
be  in  St.  Louis  in  a  few  days,  and  then  I  shall 
be  able  to  prove  all  I  say.  In  the  mean  time 
I  refer  to  Captain  Davis,  of  the  steamer  Fawn." 

"  That's  all  straightforward,  Philip,  and  for  the 
present  I  accept  your  statement  as  true.  You 
were  robbed  of  nearly  a  hundred  dollars  by  this 
man,  Lynch,  of  whom  I  know  no  good  thing,  ex- 
cept that  he  lent  me  a  dollar  to-day,  which  I  shall 


THF   MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  115 

return  to  him  when  I  pay  the  rest  of  my  cred- 
itors." 

"  Could  you  find  this  man,  Mr.  Farringford  ?  "  I 
asked. 

"  Doubtless  I  could.  He  may  be  seen,  almost 
any  night,  at  the  gambling-houses." 

"Will  you  help  me  get  my  money  back?" 

"  Wherefore  should  I  soil  the  dignity  of  a  gen- 
tleman by  becoming  a  thief-taker?" 

"  Because  you  will  do  me  a  favor,  and  promote 
the  ends  of  justice  by  doing  so." 

"  Very  true,  Philip ;  you  rightly  apprehend  the 
character  of  the  gentleman  you  address.  What- 
ever I  may  seem  to  be,  no  man  can  say  that 
Edward  Farringford  ever  soiled  his  soul  by  a  dis- 
honorable or  a  dishonest  act." 

"  If  you  can  induce  Lynch  to  give  me  back  my 
money,  I  will  pay  you  twenty-five  dollars." 

"  Twenty-five  dollars  !  "  exclaimed  he.  '  "  Two 
hundred  and  fifty  drinks !  Philip,  I  will  do  the 
best  I  can  for  you  ;  not  for  the  sake-  of  the  money, 
but  to  subserve  the  ends  of  justice,  and  to  save  a 
deserving  young  man  from  want  and  hardship. 
The  cause  is  a  good  one." 


116  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

"  It  is,  sir.  If  you  do  not  succeed,  I  shall  call 
upon  the  police  as  soon  as  my  friends  arrive." 

"  It  is  well,  Philip.  Lynch  will  return  the 
money  rather  than  be  driven  from  St.  Louis." 

"  You  understand  that  he  must  pay  the  money 
to  me,"  I  added,  as  it  occurred  to  me  that  I  should 
never  see  it  if  it  came  into  the  hands  of  the  di- 
lapidated gentleman  before  me. 

"  Wouldn't  it  be  just  as  well  that  he  should  pay 
it  over  to  me,  and  I  will  pass  it  to  you  ?  " 

"  Just  as  well,  sir ;  but  he  will  want  some  as- 
surance from  me  that  this  is  the  end  of  the  matter. 
I  prefer  that  he  should  pay  it  to  me." 

"You  are  right,  Philip.  It  shall  be  paid  to 
you.     Stop  !  "  exclaimed  he,  with  a  sudden  start. 

"What  is  the  matter,  Mr.  Farringford?" 

"  This   business  is  wrong." 

"  Wrong  ?  " 

u  Wrong !  No  living  man  has  been,  or  shall 
ijver  be,  able  to  say  that  Edward  Farringford 
stained  his  soul  with,  a  foul,  dishonorable  act." 

"Do  you  think  it  would  be  wrong,  sir?" 

"  It  would  be  compounding  a  felony,"  he  added, 
solemnly. 

I  did  not  know  what  he  meant  by  this  technical 


THE  MISHAPS   OP  A  MECHANIC.  117 

phrase,  but  I  could  not  see  that  it  was  wrong  for 
me  to  get  my  money  if  I  could.  Mr.  Farringford 
asked  me  when,  where,  and  in  what  manner  I  had 
been  robbed ;  and  I  related  my  adventure  on  the 
night  I  was  at  Leavenworth. 

"  You  are  the  only  witness,  Philip,  and  it  would 
be  difficult  to  prove  the  crime.  I  will  see  Lynch. 
I  will  charge  him  with  the  base  deed,  and  be 
governed,  in  my  further  proceedings,  by  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  case.  Where  do  you  live, 
Philip?" 

I  gave  him  the  address  of  Mrs.  Greenough,  and 
told  him  where  I  was  at  work.  I  was  satisfied 
that  the  promised  reward  would  stimulate  him  to 
great  activity  in  the  pursuit  of  Lynch,  and  I  had 
some  hope  that  he  would  bo  successful.  Having 
disposed  of  the  important  part  of  my  business 
with  my  seedy  companion,  I  was  rather  curious 
to  know  more  about  him.  I  almost  dared  to  be- 
lieve that  he  could  give  me  some  information  in 
regard  to  the  steamer  which  had  been  burned  on 
the  upper  Missouri,  and  from  which  I  had  been 
saved  by  my  foster-father. 

That  steamer  had  borne  the  name  of  this  man, 
and  he  had  been  her  owner.     Of  course  he  knew 


118  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

all  about  her,  and  it  was  possible,  even  probable, 
that  he  knew  who  had  lost  a  little  child  in  the 
fearful  calamity.  I  actually  trembled  when  I 
thought  of  it,  when  I  considered  that,  at  the 
opening  of  this  singular  man's  lips,  I  might  be 
told  who  and  what  my  father  was,  and  whether 
my  parents  had  perished  or  not.  It  was  an  anx- 
ious moment,  and  my  heart  was  in  my  throat.  I 
had  not  the  courage  to  ask  the  momentous  ques- 
tion, and  Farringford  rose  unsteadily  from  his 
chair,  to  leave  me. 

"  Stop  a  moment,  Mr.  Farringford,  if  you  please," 
I  interposed ;   and  he  dropped  back  into  his  chair. 

"  Isn't  our  business  finished,  Philip  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir ;  but  I  have  been  told  that  you  were 
formerly  a  large  steamboat  owner." 

"Who  told  you  so?" 

"You  did,  for  one.  If  you  don't  object,  I 
should  like  to  ask  you  something  about  those 
steamers,"  I  continued,  with  much  embarrass- 
ment. 

"  Do  you  wish  to  go  into  the  steamboat  business, 
Philip?  If  you  do,  some  of  my  old  captains  are 
still  on  the  river,  and  I  can  get  you  a  situation. 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  119 

But  I  must  have  one  more  drink  before  I  say 
anything." 

"I  wouldn't  take  any  more,  sir,"  I  ventured  to 
say. 

"  It  is  a  necessity  of  my  being,  Philip." 

He  rose  from  his  chair,  and  went  to  the  bai*.  I 
saw  him  drink  another  half  tumbler  of  whiskey. 
He  tottered  back  to  the  table  where  I  sat.  Such 
a  wreck  of  a  man  1  had  never  seen.  Though  his 
step  was  unsteady,  he  was  not  overcome  by  the 
potions  he  had  taken.  His  nerves,  rather  than 
his  brain,  seemed  to  be  affected. 

"  I  haven't  drank  much  to-day,  Philip.  I  wasted 
half  the  dollar  I  borrowed  in  getting  something  to 
eat,"  said  he,  dropping  into  his  chair.  "  It  is  a  bad 
habit,  my  boy.  Never  take  any  whiskey,  Philip : 
in  a  word,  never  begin  to  drink  liquor,  and  you 
will  never  have  to  leave  off;  for  it  is  a  great  deal 
harder  to  leave  off  than  it  is  to  begin.  This  is  dis- 
interested advice  :  in  a  word,  it  is  the  counsel  of 
one  who  knows  all  about  drinking." 

"  I  would  stop  it  if  I  were  you,  Mr.  'Parring- 
ford." 

"  If  you  were  Edward  Farringfqrd,  you  could 
no  more  leave  off  drinking  liquor,  and  drinking  all. 


120  PLANE    AND    TLANK,    OR 

you  could  get,  than  you  could  leave  off  eating.  I 
can  live  without  eating  much,  but  I  can't  live 
without  drinking." 

"  I  think  you  can  leave  off,  sir ;  I  hope  you  will 
try." 

"  You  speak  like  a  boy.  You  never  drank  any 
whiskey.  You  don't  know  what  a  fiend  it  is. 
You  don't  know  what  a  horrible  necessity  it  is  to 
a  man  whose  nerves  are  shaken,  only  to  be 
steadied  by  this  liquid  fire ;  whose  stomach, 
chilled  and  frozen,  can  only  be  warmed  by  this 
blast  from  Tartarus.  You  don't  know  anything 
about  it.  I  hope  you  never  will.  Philip,  I  hope 
you  never  will." 

He  covered  his  face  with  his  hands,  and  when 
he  raised  his  head,  I  saw  that  he  had  been  weep- 
ing. His  eyes  were  filled  with  tears,  and  I  pitied 
him  from  the  deepest  depths  of  my  heart. 

"  Beware,  Philip  !  Beware  !  "  said  he,  solemnly. 
"  Never  touch  a  drop  of  whiskey,  wine,  or  even 
ale,  —  not  the  tenth  part  of  a  drop,  —  if  you  are 
dying  for  the  want  of  it.     Die,  but  don't  touch  it." 

"  I  hope  I  never  shall." 

"  Hope  !  Don't  hope  !  Sign  the  pledge  ;  swear 
on  the  Holy  Bible ;  go  down  on  your  knees,  every 


THE   MISHAPS   OF  A   MECHANIC.  121 

'■>'■ 

morning  and  every  night,  and  pray  that  Almighty 
God  will  help  you,  and  save  you  from  the  curse. 
Don't  trifle  with  it,  Philip.  Be  in  earnest,  and 
when  you  feel  weak,  commend  yourself  to  God, 
and  think  of  Edward  Farringford." 

He  covered  his  face  with  his  hands  again,  and 
wept  so  bitterly,  that  the  little  table  danced  under 
the  convulsive  agony  which  shook  his  frame. 

"  Look  at  me,  Philip ! "  said  he,  raising  his 
head  again.  "  Behold  the  wreck  of  a  man  !  If 
there  had  been  no  whiskey  in  the  world,  or  if  I 
had  never  tasted  it,  I  could  have  welcomed  you  to 
the  most  elegant  mansion  in  St.  Louis.  I  could 
have  pointed  you  to  a  dozen  steamers,  on  the 
Missouri  and  Mississippi,  which  were  all  mine* 
1  could  have  presented  you  to  my  wife,  the  most 
beautiful  and  accomplished  woman  in  the  city, 
now  driven  out  from  my  presence.  More  than 
this,  Philip,  I  could  have  pointed  you  to  my  boy, 
my  son,  my  only  child,  who  perished  in  the  cold 
waters  of  the  Missouri,  because  I  was  too  drunk  to 
save  him ! " 

I  need  not  say  how  startled,  how  thrilled  I  was 
by  this  agonizing  narrative.  The  bar-room  was 
crowded,  and  noisy  with  the  violent  debates  of 


122  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

excited  politicians,  and  the  gabble  of  men  warmed 
by  their  cups  into  unusual  hilarity,  so  that  no  one 
appeared  to  notice  Farringford,  though  he  uttered 
his  impressive  warnings  in  a  loud  tone.  But  I 
was  too  much  moved  and  thrilled  myself  to  heed 
what  others  said  or  did.  The  toper  wept,  and 
then  tried  to  shake  off  the  remembrance  of  the 
past. 

"  Where  was  your  son  lost,  Mr.  Farringford  ?  " 
I  asked,  choking  with  emotion. 

"  On  the  upper  Missouri.  He  was  a  child 
under  three.  His  name  was  Philip,  like  }Tours. 
He  was  named  after  my  brother,  who  died  ten 
years  ago.  Enough  of  this.  I  am  almost  crazy 
when  I  think  of  it." 

The  broken-down  toper  was  my  father  1 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A  MECHANIC.  123 


CHAPTER   XI. 

IN  WHICH   PHIL   TAKES   HIS   FATHER  TO   HIS  NEW 
HOME. 

Y  father !  I  had  found  him ;  but  the 
finding  of  him  in  such  a  miserable, 
degraded,  besotted  being  as  he  who  was  be- 
fore me  seemed  to  be  the  greatest  mishap,  the 
most  overwhelming  misfortune,  that  could  pos- 
sibly have  overtaken  me.  He  was  the  first 
white  man  I  had  ever  seen  really  intoxicated. 
I  was  mortified  and  disheartened  as  I  looked  at 
his  pale,  thin  face,  and  regarded  his  trembling 
limbs. 

What  should  I  do?  I  could  not  tell  him 
that  I  was  his  son.  I  could  not  throw  myself 
into  his  arms  and  weep  tears  of  joy,  as  I  had 
imagined  the  impressive  scene,  in  case  I  should 
ever  find  either  of  my  parents.  I  wanted  to 
weep;   I  wanted   to  give  myself  up  to  a  trans- 


124  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

port  of  grief,  if  not  despair,  as  I  realized  the 
terrible  truth  that  the  degraded  being  before 
me   was  my  father. 

"  Philip,  I've  told  you  more  than  I  ever 
uttered  before.  You  looked  into  my  face,  and 
seemed  so  interested  that  I  was  tempted  to 
tell  more  than  I  intended,"  said  he,  wiping 
away  with  his  coat  sleeve  the  tears  that  stained 
his  sunken  cheeks.  "  No  matter ;  we  will  be 
jolly  now.  I  can  get  another  drink  in  a  cheap 
grog-shop  for  the  half  dime  I  have  in  my 
pocket." 

To   my  surprise   he   laughed   as   easily   as   he. 
had  wept,  and  shook  off,  with  astonishing  facility, 
the  burden  which  had  weighed  him  down.     He 
rose    from   his    chair,   and   tottered   towards    the 
door.     I  followed  him  out  into  the  street. 

"  Where  are  you  going  now  ?  "  I  asked. 

u  Going  to  get  a  cheap  drink,"  he  replied,  with 
a  kind  of  chuckle.  "  I  shall  be  all  right  then ; 
and  we'll  go  and  look  for  Lynch." 

"Don't  drink  any  more  to-night,  Mr.  Farring- 
ford,"  I  pleaded,  taking  his  arm. 

"  I  must ! "  said  he,  vehemently.  "  I  might  as 
well   tell   you    not   to   eat  after   you   had   been 


THE  MISHAPS   OP  A  MECHANIC.  125 

without  food  for  a  week,  as  you  tell  me  not  to 
drink.     1  must  have  whiskey,  or  die." 

"  Then  die  ! v  I  added,  using  his  own  words. 

"Die?" 

"  That's  what  you  said  to  me." 

"  I  might  do  that,  Philip,"  he  replied,  stop- 
ping suddenly  in  the  street,  as  if  the  idea  im- 
pressed him  favorably. 

"  Of  course  1  did  not  mean  that,  sir,"  I  in- 
terposed. 

"  But  it  would  be  better  to  die  than  live  as 
I  live.  I  have  only  one  cheap  drink  left  —  one 
glass  of  camphene  whiskey,  which  seems  to  burn 
my  very  soul.  In  a  word,  it  is  better  to  die 
than  to  live,  for  such  as  I  am." 

"  No ;  there  is  hope  for  you,"  I  pleaded,  lead- 
ing him  along  through  the   street. 

"Hope?  No  more  than  for  a  man  who  is 
already  dead,  Philip.  I  shall  take  my  cheap 
drink,  and  then  I  shall  be  penniless  again.  It 
may  be  twenty -four  hours,  perhaps  fort}^-eight, 
before  I  can  raise  another  dollar  or  another  drink. 
Then  I  shall  suffer  with  horrors  I  cannot  de- 
scribe, till  I  can  get  more   whiskey." 

"  "Where  do  you  live  ?  '.' 


126  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

"  Nowhere." 

"  Where   do  you  board  ?  " 

"  I  don't  board,"  he  replied,  with  his  usual 
chuckle. 

"  Where  do  you  sleep  ?  " 

"  Wherever  I  happen  to  drop.  In  the  police 
station ;  on  board  a  steamboat ;  in  a  shed ;  any- 
where or  nowhere." 

"  But  where  were  you  going  to-night?  "  I  asked, 
shocked  at  this  revelation  of  misery,  so  horrible 
and  strange  to  me. 

"  I  was  going  to  the  gambling-houses  to  find 
Lynch." 

"But  after  that?" 

"  Anywhere  that  my  fancy  leads  me." 

"  Come  with  me,"  said  I,  unwilling  to  abandon 
him. 

"  Where  ?  " 

"  To  my  house  —  where  I  board." 

"No,  Philip." 

"  You  shall  sleep  with  me   to-night." 

I  knew  that  Mrs.  Greenough  would  not  wish 
such  a  lodger  as  he,  but  I  was  determined  to 
do  what  I  could  for  him ;  and,  if  she  would 
not  permit  him  to  sleep  with  me,  I  would  go  out 


THE  MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  127 

with  my  miserable  parent.  I  wanted  to  see  him 
when  he  was  sober.  He  had  told  me  that  his 
wife  had  deserted  him,  and  I  wished  to  learn 
more  about  her.  I  could  not  allude  to  a  theme 
so  sacred  while  he  was  in  his  present  condition. 
Hopeless  as  the  task  seemed  to  be,  I  intended 
to  use  all  the  powers  which  God  had  given  me 
in  reforming  him. 

I  led  him  in  the  direction  of  my  boarding- 
house,  and  he  seemed  to  be  as  willing  to  go 
one  way  as  another.  After  he  had  delivered 
himself  of  the  emotions  which  crowded  upon 
him  at  the  bar-room,  he  spoke  lightly  of  his 
misfortunes,  and  chuckled  whenever  he  alluded 
to  any  circumstance  which  was  particularly  de- 
grading in  his  condition. 

"  Where  do  you  obtain  your  meals,  Mr.  Far- 
ringford?"  I  asked,  as  much  to  keep  his  atten- 
tion occupied  as  to  gratify  my  own  curiosity. 

"I  don't  obtain  many,"  he  replied,  lightly. 

"  But  you  must  eat." 

"Not  when  I  can  drink.  I  don't. average  more 
than  one  meal  a  day.  I  can't  afford  to  waste 
my  money,  when  I  have  any,  in   eating." 

"  Do  you  live  on  one  meal  a  day  ? " 


128  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OE 

"I  don't  get  that  always." 

"  Where   do  you  get  that  one  ? " 

"  Anywhere  I  can.  They  have  meals  on 
board  the  steamers  lying  at  the  levee  and 
waiting  to  start  They  never  turn  me  off  when 
I  sit  down  to  the  table.  If  I'm  very  drunk, 
they  give  me  my  meal  at  a  side-table ;  but  thai, 
don't  happen  often,  for  I  don't  want  to  eat 
when  I  can  get  plenty  to  drink." 

How  insufferably  miserable  and  degrading  was 
the  life  he  led !     And  he  was  my  father ! 

"  How  long  have  you  led  such  a  life  ? "  I  in- 
quired,  with  a  shudder. 

"  Not  long,  Philip.  Do  you  know,  my  lad, 
that  I'm  telling  you  all  this  to  save  you  from 
whiskey  ?  I'm  not  drunk  now.  I  know  what  I'm 
about;  and  I  would  go  ten  miles  to-night  to 
save  any  fellow-creature,  even  if  it  was  a  nigger, 
from  being  as  bad  as  I  am.  I  would,  Philip; 
upon  my  honor  and  conscience   I  would." 

"  That  proves  that  you  have  a  kind  heart," 
I  replied ;  and  even  as  he  revelled  in  his  shame 
and  misery,  I  was  glad  often  to  observe  these 
touches  of  fine  feeling,  for  they  assured  me  that, 


THE  MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  129 

in    his    better   days,   lie   bad  been   a  noble   and 
generous  man. 

"  My  heart  is  right,  my  boy.  Like  all  drunk- 
ards—  Yes,  Philip,  I'm  a  drunkard.  I  know 
it;  and  I  call  things  by  their  right  names. 
Like  all  drunkards,  I've  been  growing  worse 
and  worse ;  but  it's  only  a  few  months  since  I 
went  into  the  street,  and  had  no  home,  no  place 
to  lay  my  head  at  night." 

I  led  him  to  Mrs.  Greenough's  house.  He 
said  nothing  more  about  the  "  cheap  drink," 
for  I  had  kept  his  mind  busy  on  the  way.  I 
had  a  night  key,  and  I  admitted  him  to  the 
entry,  where  I  asked  him  to  wait  until  I  spoke 
with  my  landlady.  In  as  few  words  as  possi- 
ble I  informed  her  of  the  discovery  I  had 
made,  and  distinctly  added  that  my  father  was 
intoxicated. 

"  Will  ycu  allow  me  to  take  care  of  him  in 
my  room,  Mrs.   Greenough?"  I  asked. 

"  Yes,  indeed ! "  she  replied,  with  unexpected 
readiness.  "  Bring  him  into  the  kitchen,  and  I 
will  do    everything   I   can  for  him." 

"  Thank  you,  Mrs.  Greenough.     You  are  very 
kind.     I  had  no  right  to  expect  this  of  you." 
9 


130  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

"  I  know  how  to  pity  such  poor  people, 
Phil,"  said  she,  shaking  her  head  sadly ;  and 
I  afterwards  learned  that  her  late  husband 
had  been  a  drunkard  for  a  number  of  years, 
and  had  been  saved  by  the  great  Washingtonian 
movement. 

"  My  father  does  not  yet  suspect  that  I  am 
his  son.  Will  you  be  so  kind  as  not  to  men- 
tion the  fact  to  him  ? "  I  continued. 

"Just  as  you  wish,  Phil,"  she  answered,  as  I 
hastened  down  stairs. 

Mrs.  Greenough  held  the  lamp  in  the  entry 
while  I  conducted  my  tottering  companion  up 
the  stairs.  I  introduced  him  in  due  form  to 
her. 

"  Madam,  I  am  your  very  obedient  servant," 
said  he.  "  I  am  happy  to  make  your  acquaint- 
ance—  more  happy  than  you  can  be  to  make 
mine." 

"  I'm  very  glad  to  see  you ;  come  in,"  she 
added,  placing  her  rocking-chair  before  the  fire 
for  him. 

He  seated  himself,  and  glanced  around  the 
room.  Mrs.  Greenough  asked  if  he  had  been 
to  supper.     He   had   not,   and   he    did   not   wish 


THE   MISHAPS   OP   A   MECHANIC.  131 

for  any ;  but  the  good  lady  insisted  that  he 
should  have  a  cup  of  tea.  In  spite  of  his 
answer,  he  ate  heartily  of  the  food  set  before 
him,  and  seemed  to  be  refreshed  by  it.  For 
an  hour  he  talked  about  indifferent  subjects, 
and  then  I  took  him  to  my  room.  Mrs.  Gree- 
nough  gave  me  some  clean  clothes  for  him,  which 
had  belonged  to  her  husband,  declaring  that  she 
was  glad  to  have  them  put  to  so  good  use. 
He  intimated,  as  he  glanced  at  the  neat  bed, 
that  he  should  like  to  wash  himself.  I  carried 
up  a  pail  of  warm  water,  and  leaving  him  to 
make  his  ablutions,  1  went  down  to  the  kitchen 
again. 

"  I  hope  you  will  excuse  me  for  bringing 
him  here,  Mrs.  Greenough,"  said  I,  feeling  that 
I  had  been  imposing  upon,  her  good  nature. 

"You  did  just  exactly  right,  Phil.  You  had 
no  other  place  to  take  him  to ;  and  you  didn't 
want  to  leave  the  poor  creature  in  the  street. 
I  will  do  everything  I   can  for  him." 

"  I  am  very  much  obliged  to  you,  and  as  soon 
as  Mr.  Gracewood  comes,  I  will  have  something 
done  for  him." 

"  Are  you  sure  he  is  your  father  ?  " 


132  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

"I  have  no  doubt  of  it,  Mrs.  Greenough. 
"What  he  said  assured  me  of  the  fact;  but  he 
thinks  I  am  dead." 

"Where  is  your  mother?     Was  she  lost?" 

"  No ;  he  says  she  was  driven  away  from 
him  by  his  bad  conduct.  I  don't  know  where 
she  is." 

My  landlady  was  willing  to  take  care  of  the 
sufferer  for  a  few  days,  if  he  could  be  induced 
to  stay  at  the  house ;  and  we  talked  about  the 
matter  till  I  thought  he  had  gone  to  bed,  when 
I  went  to  my  room.  By  this  time  the  effects 
of  the  liquor  he  had  drank  were  hardly  per- 
ceptible ;  but  his  nerves  were  terribly  shaken. 
Mrs.  Greenough  had  given  me  a  close  of  vale- 
rian, which  she  said  would  do  him  good.  He 
drank  it  without  an  objection,  and  soon  went 
to  sleep.  I  was  tired  enough  to  follow  his  ex- 
ample, after  I  had  put  the  room  in  order. 

When  I  awoke  in  the  morning,  my  father 
had  dressed  himself,  and  was  pacing  the  room, 
in  the  gloom  of  the  early  morning.  He  was 
entirely  sober  now,  and  his  frame  shook  as 
though  he  had  been  struck  with  palsy.  I  was 
alarmed  at  his  condition.     He  told  me  he  must 


THE   MISHAPS   OP   A   MECHANIC.  133 

have    whiskey,    or    he    should   shake    himself   to 
pieces. 

"  Don't  take  any  more,   sir,"  I  pleaded. 

"  Nothing  but  whiskey  will  quiet  my  nerves," 
said  he,  in  trembling  tones. 

"  You  shall  have  some  strong  tea  or  coffee ; 
or  perhaps  Mrs.  Greenough  can  give  you  some- 
thing better." 

"  I  don't  want  to  drink,  Philip ;  no,  I  don't," 
he  replied,  in  piteous  tones ;  "  but  you  cannot 
understand  the  misery  of  my  present  condition. 
It  is  worse  than  death." 

"  But  you  will  be  better  soon  if  you  let  liq- 
uor alone." 

"  I  can't  let  it  alone.  Every  instant  is  an  hour 
of  agony.     Have   you  any  money  ? " 

"  Only  five  cents." 

"  I  have  five  cents.  I  will  get  a  cheap 
drink." 

"No,  don't!"  I  pleaded.  "Wait  here  a  little 
while.  I  will  make  a  fire,  and  see  what  can 
be  done  for  you." 

I  went  down  stairs,  and  by-  the  time  I  had 
made  the  fire  Mrs.  Greenough  appeared.  I 
told  her  how  much  my  poor  father  was  suffer- 


134  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

ing.  She  seemed  to  understand  the  case  ex- 
actly ;  and  as  soon  as  the  tea-kettle  boiled, 
she  made  some  strong  wormwood  tea,  which 
I  gave  to  our  patient.  I  had  some  hope  when 
he  declared  that  it  had  helped  him.  He  ate  a 
very  light  breakfast,  and  appeared  to  have  no 
appetite.  My  good  landlady  spoke  words  of 
hope  to  him,  and  said  she  had  taken  care  of 
one  who  was  precisely  in  his  condition.  If 
he  would  only  be  patient,  and  trust  her,  she 
would  cure  him.  He  promised  to  stay  in  the 
house  during  the  forenoon ;  and  I  went  to  my 
work,  hoping,  but  hardly  expecting,  to  find  him 
there  when  I  came   home  to  dinner. 


THE  MISHAPS   OP  A  MECHANIC.  135 


CHAPTER  XII. 

IN  WHICH   PHIL   LISTENS   TO   A   DISCUSSION,   AND 
TAKES   PAET   IN  A   STKUGGLE. 

Y  work  on  the  building  was  no  lighter 
than  it  had  been  the  day  before ;  but  I  had 
done  so  much  hard  labor  in  the  field  and  forest 
that  it  did  not  wear  upon  me.  I  observed  every- 
thing that  was  done  by  the  skilled  workmen,  and 
endeavored  to  profit  by  what  I  saw.  I  felt  that  I 
was  learning  something  every  hour,  and  I  was 
pleased  to  know  that  Mr,  Clinch  was  entirely  sat- 
isfied with  me.  At  noon  I  hastened  home,  anxious 
to  know  the  condition  of  my  father. 

"How  is  your  patient,  Mrs.  Greenough?"  I 
asked,  as  I  entered  the  kitchen  where  she  was 
cooking  the  dinner. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  tell  you,  Phil,  that  he  is  gone." 

" Gone  ! " 

"  Yes ;  I  had  to  go  over  to  the  provision  store 


136  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

for  something  for  dinner.  Mr.  Farringford  prom- 
ised faithfully  to  remain  in  the  house ;  but  when  I 
came  back  he  had  left.  I  was  not  absent  more 
than  fifteen  minutes. " 

"  I  am  very  sorry  for  it ;  but  it  can't  be  helped," 
I  replied,  sadly. 

"  I  am  to  blame,  Phil.  I  ought  to  have  locked 
the  door,  and  taken  the  key  with  me." 

"  Don't  blame  yourself  at  all,  Mrs.  Greenough," 
I  interposed.  "  You  have  been  very  kind  to  him 
and  to  me,  and  I  am  greatly  obliged  to  you." 

"  Perhaps  you  will  be  able  to  find  him  again." 

"  I  will  try  this  evening.  I'm  sorry  I  have  not 
more  time  to  take  care  of  him." 

"  If  you  will  get  him  back  again  I  will  do  the 
best  I  can,  and  when  I  go  out  I  will  lock  the 
door." 

"Perhaps  it  is  no  use  to  try  to  do  anything 
for  him,"  I  added. 

"  He  is  your  father,  Phil ;  and  you  must  do  and 
keep  doing  for  him.  Let  us  hope  and  pray  that 
he  may  be  saved." 

After  dinner  I  went  to  my  work  again ;  and 
that  afternoon  we  finished  boarding  the  building. 

"  Can  you  lay  shingles,  Phil?"  asked  Mr,  Clinch. 


THP   MISHAPS    OF   A    MECHANIC.  137 

"  I  never  did  lay  any,  but  I  know  I  can  after  I 
have  seen  -how  it  is  done.'7 

"  Conant  shall  show  you  how/7  he  added. 

I  Avent  upon  the  roof  with  my  fellow-workman. 
As,  in  the  short  time  I  had  worked  with  him,  T 
had  carefully  observed  all  his  instructions,  and 
been  obliging  and  respectful  to  him,  Conant  was 
very  willing  to  show  me  how  to  work.  But  the 
operation  of  laying  shingles  is  very  simple,  though 
it  requires  considerable  care  and  skill  in  breaking 
joints,  so  that  the  water  shall  not  work  through. 
I  saw  how  it  was  done,  and,  though  I  worked 
rather  slowly  at  first,  I  was  soon  able  to  lay  the 
shingles  to  the  satisfaction  of  my  instructor.  As 
I  got  the  "hang  of  the  thing77  I  worked  more 
rapidly,  and  before  night  I  could  lay  as  many  as 
Conant.  We  lined  the  length  of  the  roof,  and 
Avhile  he  began  at  one  end,  I  began  at  the  other. 
At  first  Ave  came  together  pretty  near  my  end, 
but  I  gradually  increased  the  distance  until  we 
met  in  the  middle,  showing  that  I  did  as  much 
work  as  my  instructor. 

"  Well,  Phil,  hoAv  did  you  get  along  shingling?77 
asked  Mr.  Clinch,  when  I  went  doAvn  the  ladder 
at  six  o7clock. 


138  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

"  Pretty  well,  I  think,  sir,"  I  replied.  "  I  shall 
learn  how  in  time." 

"  Learn  how  !  "  added  Conant ;  "  he  can  lay 
as  many  shingles  in  a  day  as  I  can." 

11  If  I  can  it  is  all  because  Conant  showed  me 
so  well  that  I  couldn't  help  doing  it,"  said  I, 
wishing  to  acknowledge  my  obligations  to  my 
kind  instructor. 

I  saw  that  he  was  pleased  with  the  compli- 
ment ;  and  I  have  always  found  that  a  pleasant 
word,  even  from  a  boy,  helps  things  along  amaz- 
ingly in  this  world.  It  was  better  and  fairer 
to  attribute  a  portion  of  my  success  to  Conant's 
careful  and  patient  teaching  than  to  claim  all  the 
credit  of  it  myself.  It  was  doing  justice  to  him 
without  injuring  me,  and  was  a  cheap  way  to 
make  a  strong  friend. 

"  I'm  glad  to  have  a  fellow  like  you  to  work 
with,  Phil,"  said  Conant,  as  we  walked  up  the 
street  together.  "  Clinch  put  that  Morgan  Blair 
into  my  charge  to  show  him  how  to  work ;  but 
he  knew  so  much  more  than  I  did  that  I  couldn't 
teach  him  anything.     His  head  is  made  of  wood." 

"  I'm  always  very  thankful  to  any  one  who 
will  show  me  how  to  do  anything." 


THE  MISHAPS    OF   A   MECHANIC.  139 

"  I  see  you  are,  Phil,  and  it's  a  real  pleasure  to 
teach  you  anything." 

"  Thank  you ;  I  think  we  shall  agree  together 
first  rate." 

"  So  do  I ;  but  I  don't  like  these  boys  who 
know  more  than  the  law  allows." 

We  parted  at  the  corner  of  the  next  street,  and 
I  went  home  to  supper.  My  father  had  not  re- 
turned to  the  house,  and  I  did  not  expect  he 
would  do  so.  I  was  sorry  I  had  not  inquired 
about  my  mother  when  he  was  with  me  ;  but  I  had 
no  good  opportunity,  and  was  confident  that  I 
should  see  him  again.  After  supper  I  left  the 
house,  and  went  to  the  Planters'  Hotel,  where  I 
expected  to  find  him;  but  it  was  only  when  he 
had  a  dollar  or  two  that  ho  went  there. 

"Have  you  seen  Mr.  Farringford  to-day?"  I 
timidly  asked  one  of  the  bar-tenders,  who  was 
disengaged. 

"He  has  been  here  two  or  three  times  to-day," 
replied  the  man. 

"Do  you  know  where  he  is  now?" 

"I  haven't  the  least  idea.  He  hangs  round 
Forstellar's,  I  think." 

"Where  is  that?" 


140  PLANE   AND   PLANK,    OR 

"  It  is  a  gambling-house,"  he  added,  giving  me 
the  street  and  number. 

"What  does  Mr.  Farringford  do?"  I  asked, 
rather  startled  at  being  directed  to  a  gambling- 
house. 

"  Do  ?  Nothing,"  said  the  man,  contemptuously, 
"He  used  to  be  a  runner  for  a  gambling-house, 
and  followed  this  business  as  long  as  he  could 
keep  sober  enough  to  do  it." 

"  What  is  a  runner  ?  " 

"  One  that  ropes  in  customers  to  a  gambling- 
saloon,"  laughed  the  bar-tender.  "  Farringford 
used  to  make  money  enough  to  pay  for  his  liquor 
at  it ;  but  lately  he  keeps  so  drunk  that  no  one 
will  go  with  him.     What  do  you  want  of  him  ?  " 

"I  wanted  to  see  him." 

"  Do  you  know  him  ?  " 

"I  did  not  know  him  till  yesterday.  He  knows 
a  man  who  has  some  money  that  belongs  to  me," 
I  replied. 

But  I  was  thankful  that  a  customer  came  to 
prevent  him  from  asking  me  any  more  questions. 
I  was  shocked  to  hear  that  my  father  had  been 
connected  with  a  gambling-house.  He  evidently 
did  not  think  that  the  business  of  a  "  runner  "  was 


THE   MISHAPS   OF  A  MECHANIC.  141 

disreputable,  when  he  assured  me  that  no  one 
could  accuse  him  of  a  dishonest  or  a  dishonorable 
deed.  But  he  was  only  the  wreck  of  a  man,  and 
it  would  have  been  strange  indeed  if  his  moral  per- 
ception had  not  been  impaired  by  his  long  course 
of  dissipation.  I  hastened  to  the  place  which 
had  been  described  to  me  by  the  bar-tender.  The 
establishment  had  a  bar-room  on  the  lower  floor, 
with  a  private  staircase  to  the  apartments  above, 
where  games  of  chance  were  played. 

I  went  into  the  bar-room,  and  saw  well-dressed 
gentlemen  passing  through  the  private  door  to 
the  stairs.  I  looked  about  the  place  a  short  time. 
If  my  father  was  in  the  buiiding,  he  was  up  stairs, 
and  I  decided  to  attempt  the  passage.  At  the 
foot  of  the  stairs  a  man  stopped  me,  and  told  me 
that  no  boys  were  allowed  in  the  rooms  above. 
I  was  willing  to  believe  that,  considering  the 
character  of  the  house,  this  was  a  very  whole- 
some regulation ;  but  I  wished  to  find  my  father. 
I  asked  the  sentinel  if  Mr.  Farringford  was  up 
stairs.  He  did  not  know ;  if  he  was  I  couldn't 
see  him.  I  inquired  for  Lynch  then,  but  could 
obtain  no  satisfaction.  I  insisted  upon  seeing  one 
or  both  of  these  men  with  so  much  zeal  that  the 


142  PLANE   AND   PLANK,    OE 

inside  sentinel  ordered  me  to  leave  the  premises. 
I  gently  and  respectfully  remonstrated ;  but  the 
fellow  took  me  by  the  arm,  and  walked  me  out 
into  the  street.  As  I  had  no  rights  there,  I  did 
not  resist. 

I  was  rather  indignant  at  this  treatment,  though 
I  ought  not  to  have  expected  decent  conduct  on 
the  part  of  the  officials  of  such  an  establishment. 
I  decided  not  to  abandon  my  purpose,  though 
any  satisfactory  result  was  rather  hopeless  just 
then.  I  planted  myself  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  street,  and  watched  the  house,  taking  note  of 
every  one  who  went  in  or  came  out.  I  meant  to 
stay  there  till  midnight  if  necessary,  for  I  judged 
from  the  answers  of  the  inside  sentinel  that  the 
persons  for  whom  I  had  inquired  were  there. 

My  patience  held  out  till  the  clock  struck 
eight,  when  a  policeman,  by  some  strange  fatality, 
happened  to  pass  the  place.  He  was  on  the  other 
side  of  the  street,  and  glanced  into  the  bar-room 
as  he  passed.  I  determined  to  walk  at  his  side, 
and  tell  him  my  story,  so  far  as  it  related  to  the 
loss  of  my  money.  I  crossed  over  for  the  purpose 
of  joining  him,  hoping  to  induce  him  to  enter 
the   gambling-house  with  me.     As  I  reached  the 


THE  MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  143 

front  of  the  establishment,  two  men  came  out,  both 
of  them  making  use  of  rather  sharp  language. 
Their  voices  attracted  my  attention. 

One  of  them  was  Lynch,  and  the  other  was 
Farringford. 

"  I  will  not  have  my  steps  dogged  by  such 
a  fellow  as  you  are  ? "  exclaimed  the  former, 
angrily. 

"  Don't  make  a  noise,  Lynch,"  said  Farringford. 
"  If  you  do,  I'll  refer  the  matter  to  a  policeman, 
and  send  for  the  boy." 

"  Nonsense !  I've  told  you  I  know  nothing 
about  the  boy  or  his  money,"  added  Lynch, 
moving  down  the  street  in  the  direction  of  the 
river. 

Deeply  interested  in  the  discussion,  I  followed 
the  parties  closely  enough  to  hear  every  word 
they  spoke.  From  what  Lynch  said  I  learned 
that  they  had  already  discussed  the  subject  at 
the  gambling-house  ;  and  I  judged  that  the  robber 
had  fled  in  order  to  escape  the  importunity  of  the 
other. 

"  The  boy  speaks  the  truth,  and  if  you  don't 
give  his  money  back  I  will  make   St.  Louis  too 


144  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

warm  for  your  comfort,"  retorted  Farringford, 
warmly. 

"  I  don't  want  to  be  bored  with  this  matter  any 
more,"  said  Lynch.  "  If  you  will  clear  out  I  will 
give  you  a  dollar  to  get  drunk  upon." 

"  I  ask  no  man  to  give  me  anything.  That 
won't  do ;  I  want  the  money  for  the  boy." 

"  Why  should  you  bother  your  head  about  the 
boy?" 

"  He's  my  boy,  and  I  won't  see  him  wronged  by 
any  one." 

"  Your  boy  !  " 

"  Yes,  my  boy !  He's  my  son,"  persisted  Far- 
ringford. 

"  Nonsense  !     You  have  lost  your  wits." 

I  thought  I  had  lost  mine  too.  I  could  not 
believe  that  Farringford  intended  to  speak  the 
truth  when  he  said  I  was  his  son.  He  could  not 
possibly  have  known  that  I  was  his  son.  But  my 
heart  leaped  up  into  my  throat  when  it  flashed 
upon  my  mind  that  ray  father  had  opened  the 
bureau  drawer  in  my  room,  where  I  had  placed 
the  locket  and  the  little  clothes  I  had  worn  when 
I  was  picked  up  on  the  Missouri  River.  Yet 
this   was    not    probable,   for    I    had    locked    the 


THE  MISHAPS    OF   A  MECHANIC.  145 

drawer,  and  put  the  key  in  a  safe  place.  I  was 
more  inclined  to  think  that  Farringford  called 
me  his  son  in  order  to  explain  his  interest  in  my 
affairs.  I  followed  the  two  men  to  the  levee, 
where  they  suddenly  halted  near  a  street  lamp. 
I  dodged  out  of  their  sight,  and  kept  walking  back 
and  forth  near  them;  but,  as  I  was  a  boy,  they 
did  not  seem  to  notice  me,  or  at  least  to  consider 
my  presence  of  any  importance. 

"  I  am  willing  to  get  rid  of  you,  Farringford,  at 
any  reasonable  price,"  said  Lynch.  "  I  will  not 
be  dogged  another  foot  farther." 

"  Then  give  me  back  the  ninety-seven  dollars 
and  a  half  you  stole  from  my  boy,"  added  Far- 
ringford. 

"  Don't  say  that  thing  again  to  me.  I  will 
give  you  five  dollars  if  you  will  bore  me  no 
more." 

"No;  I  want  the  whole." 

"  Once  for  all,  then,  will  you  clear  out,  or 
not?" 

"  Once  for  all,  I  will  not  till  you  give  up  the 
money  you  stole  from  my  boy." 

"  Then  take  the  consequences,"  said  Lynch,  as 
he  sprang  upon  the  tottling  Farringford. 
10 


146  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

My  blood  boiled  then,  and  leaping  upon  Lynch, 
I  bore  him  to  the  ground.  He  released  his  hold 
upon  my  father  when  he  felt  my  grasp  upon  him. 

"Police!"  I  shouted,  as  I  lay  upon  my  victim. 

He  struggled  to  shake  me  off;  but  I  held 
on,  for  I  knew  that  I  must  keep  the  advantage 
or  lose  my  man. 


THE  MISHAPS   OF  A  MECHANIC.  147 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

IN  WHICH  PHIL   HAS   ANOTHER   MISHAP,   AND   IS 
TAKEN  TO   A  POLICE   STATION. 

I  HAD  measured  the  form  and  estimated  the 
muscle  of  Lynch  before  I  paid  my  re- 
spects to  him.  He  had  threatened  me  when  I 
met  him  on  the  preceding  day,  and  I  came  to 
the  conclusion  that,  after  passing  through  one 
Indian  campaign,  I  should  not  run  away  from 
such  a  puny  fellow  as  he  was.  As  a  boy  I  was 
strong,  as  a  man  he  was  weak,  and  having 
him  under  me  I  had  all  the  advantage.  He 
struggled  but  a  moment,  and  then  changed  his 
tone. 

"  Don't  make  a  row,  Phil,"  said  he,  panting 
under  the  exhaustion  of  his  efforts. 

"  You  do  know  me,  then,"  I  replied,  puffing  not 
less  than  he. 


148  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

"  I  do.  Let  me  up,  Phil,  and  I  will  give  you 
your  money." 

"  I  don't  think  I  shall  take  your  word  again," 
I  added,  with  a  candor  becoming  the  exciting 
occasion. 

"  Let  me  up,  Phil ;  there  will  be  a  crowd 
around  us  in  a  moment." 

"  No  matter ;  I  won't  let  you  up  till  you 
give  me  some  security  for  your  good  behavior." 

"  Better  let  him  up  as  quick  as  possible,"  in- 
terposed Mr.  Farringford.  "  There  are  some  men 
coming  down  the  street." 

"I  will  hold  on  to  him  till  he  makes  it  safe 
for  me  to  let  him  go,"  I  replied. 

"  Put  your  hand  into  my  breast  pocket,  and 
take  out  my  pocket-book.  It  contains  over  two 
hundred  dollars,"  said  Lynch. 

I  followed  his  directions ;  but  I  was  not  sat- 
isfied in  regard  to  the  contents  of  the  pocket- 
book.  It  might  be  stuffed  with  brown  paper 
for  aught  I  knew,  for  I  had  read  about  some 
of  the  tricks  of  swindlers  in  great  cities,  in  the 
newspapers,  since  I  came   to  St.  Louis. 

"  Take  it,  Mr.  Farringford,  and  see  what  is 
in  it,"  I  added,  handing  it  to  my  father. 


THE   MISHAPS   OF  A  MECHANIC.  149 

"Let  me  up,  Phil,"  pleaded  Lynch. 

"Not  yet,  Mr.  Lynchpinne." 

"  If  you  are  not  satisfied,  take  the  purse  out 
of  my  side  pocket.  It  contains  fifty  or  sixty 
dollars  in  gold." 

I  took  the  purse  from  his  pocket,  and  it  was 
heavy  enough  to  be  filled"  with  gold. 

"  Now  let  me  up,  Phil.  Don't  get  up  a  row 
here." 

I  was  not  quite  satisfied  that  we  had  a  suffi- 
cient security  for  the  money  I  had  lost,  and  I 
wished  my  father  to  examine  the  purse  after 
he  had  reported  on  the  contents  of  the  pocket- 
book. 

"What's"  the  row?"  demanded  a  couple  of 
men  coming  out  of  the  street  by  which  we  had 
reached  our  present  position. 

"Let  me  up,  Phil,"  said  Lynch,  in  a  low 
tone. 

"Let  him  up,"  said  my  father,  in  a  tone  so 
earnest  that  I  could  not  disregard  it. 

Lynch  sprang  to  his  feet,  and  began  to  brush 
the   dirt  from  his  clothes. 

"What's  the  trouble?"  repeated  the  two 
strangers. 


150  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

"  No  trouble/'  replied  Lynch.  "  Come,  we 
will  go  up  to  Forstellar's  and  settle  the  mat- 
ter." 

"Without  waiting  to  have  the  matter  dis- 
cussed, Lynch  started  at  a  rapid  pace,  and  my 
father  and  I  followed  him.  The  two  strangers, 
who  manifested  a  strong  interest  in  the  pro- 
ceedings, again  demanded  an  explanation ;  and 
as  they  received  none,  they  came  up  the  street 
after  us. 

"  I'm  not  going  to  any  gambling-house  to  set- 
tle the  matter,"  said  I,  placing  myself  at  the 
side  of  Lynch. 

"  "Where  will  you  go  ? "  demanded  he,  im- 
patiently. 

"  Come  to  my  boarding-house." 

"  No ;  I  am  not  going  to  be  led  into  any 
trap." 

"There  is  no  trap  about  it.  You  will  see  no 
one .  but  a  woman." 

"  I  don't  care  about  going  to  a  private 
house." 

"  And  I  don't  care  about  going  to  a  gambling- 
saloon." 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A    MECHANIC.  151 

"  You  have  all  my  money.  Do  you  mean  to 
keep  the  whole  of  it  ?  " 

"  If  I  should  it  would  be  serving  you  right ; 
but  I  don't  intend  to  take  any  more  than 
belongs  to  me.  Will  you  go  to  the  Planters' 
Hotel?"   I  asked. 

"Why  not  go  to  Forstellar's ?  It  is  nearer, 
and  I  am  in  a  hurry." 

"  I  won't  go  into  such  a  place  if  I  can  help 
it." 

"You  need  not  go  up" stairs  —  only  into  the 
bar-room." 

"  No ;  I  won't  go  where  you  can  call  in  the 
aid  of  your  friends." 

"  Very  well ;  I  will  go  to  the  Planters'  Hotel," 
he    replied. 

As  we  were  walking  up  the  street  Ave  passed 
a  policeman.  I  had  come  to  feel  a  peculiar 
interest  in  this  class  of  men ;  and  from  the 
fact  that  I  had  met  two  of  them  in  the  same 
evening,  I  concluded  that  the  traditions  stored 
up  against  them  were  false.  It  is  not  quite 
possible  for  a  police  officer  to  be  everywhere 
at  the  same  instant ;  and,  as  there  are  a  thou- 
sand  places  within    his    beat  where    he    cannot 


152  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

be,  to  the  one  where  he  is,  the  chances  are 
altogether  against  his  being  always  where  he 
happens  to  be  wanted.  I  say  that,  having  seen 
two  policemen  in  the  same  evening,  I  felt  a 
renewed  respect  aud  regard  for  the  order,  and 
I  naturally  looked  behind  me  as  I  passed  the 
second  one,  in  order  to  obtain  a  good  view  of 
the  man. 

I  was  not  exactly  pleased  to  notice  that  the 
two  men  who  had  followed  us  from  Front 
Street  stopped  him,  or  rather  induced  him  to 
join  them ;  and  the  three  followed  us.  I  had 
no  doubt  the  inquisitive  strangers  made  our 
little  party  the  subject  of  a  familiar  conversa- 
tion with  the  policeman,  as  they  walked  up 
.the  street.  However,  I  did  not  feel  much  con- 
cerned about  the  circumstance ;  for,  having 
been  brought  up  beyond  the  practicable  reach 
of  the  law,  I  had  no  suspicion  that  I  had  done 
anything  wrong;  and  a  new  mishap  was  neces- 
sary in  order  to  convince  me  of  the  error  of 
taking  the  law  into  my  own  hands. 

I  mentioned  the  fact  to  Lynch  that  a  police- 
man was  following  us.  He  did  not  take  the 
matter   so   coolly  as  I  did,   and   I   am  not  sure 


THE  MISHAPS  OF  A   MECHANIC.  153 

he  did  not  regret  that  he  had  taken  the  trouble 
to  relieve  me  of  my  shot-bag.  I  was  very  well 
pleased  with  myself,  and  thought  I  had  man- 
aged my  case  remarkably  well.  I  had  full 
security  for  the  money  I  had  lost,  and  ten 
minutes  in  the  hotel  would  enable  me  to  re- 
cover possession  of  my  funds.  The  next  day 
was;  Saturday,  and  I  intended  to  purchase 
some  new  clothes,  so  that  I  could  go  to  Sun- 
day school,  to  church,  and  to  the  prayer- 
meeting  on  the  evening  of  the  holy  day.  All 
these  things  were  new  to  me,  and  the  antici- 
pation of  them  was  very  pleasant.  I  meant, 
with  my  money,  to  put  my  wardrobe  in  a  con- 
dition that  would  satisfy  Mrs.  Greenough,  who 
had  promised  to  go  with  me  to  the  Sunday 
school,  and  to  all  the  meetings. 

"Come,  hurry  up,"  said  Lynch,  while  I  was 
passing  these  pleasant  reflections  through  my 
mind.  "That  policeman  will  make  trouble  for 
us." 

"  I'm  not  afraid  of  him." 

"But  I  am,"  replied  my  companion,  sharply. 
"If  you  get  me  into  a  scrape,  it  will  go  harder 
with  you  than  with  me," 


154  .PLANE  AND  PLANK,  OR 

I  did  not  see  how  that  could  be,  but  I  was 
willing  to  meet  the  views  of  Lynch  as  long  as 
no  treachery  was  apparent  in  his  conduct.  If 
he  wished  to  leave  us,  he  could  do  so,  for  we 
had  all  his  money.  We  reached  the  Planters' 
Hotel,  closely  followed  by  the  policeman  and 
the  two  strangers.  When  we  were  about  to 
enter  the  bar-room,  the  officer  stepped  in  front 
of  us,  and  stopped  our  further  progress. 

"  I  learn  that  an  assault  was  committed,  under 
suspicious  circumstances,  near  the  levee,"  said 
the  officer.     "I  should  like  to  know  about  it." 

"  I  was  robbed  of  my  purse  and  pocket-book," 
replied  Lynch,  promptly. 

u  Who  did  it  ? "  demanded  the  officer,  with 
energy. 

"  This  man  and  this  boy,"  answered  Lynch. 

"  It  is  no  such  thing ! "  I  protested,  startled 
at  the  charge  of  my  unprincipled  companion. 

"But  that  young  fellow  was  holding  him 
down,"  interposed  one  of  the  strangers.  "He 
let  him  up  just  as  Gray  and  I  came  out  of 
Plum  Street." 

"  That's  so,"  added  Lynch,  in  the  tone  and  man- 
ner of  a  martyr.     "  They  took  from  me  all  my 


THE   MISHAPS    OF   A   MECHANIC.  155 

money,  and  were  going  to  take  my  watch  when 
they  were   interrupted." 

"  It  is  a  false  and  groundless  accusation/' 
said  Mr.  Farringford,  vehemently. 

"  Ah,  Farringford,  are  you  in  the  scrape  ? " 
exclaimed  Mr.   Gray. 

"  I  am  not  in  the  scrape.  There  is  no  scrape," 
replied  my  father,  very  much  agitated,  for  he 
probably  realized  better  than  I  did  the  nature 
of  our  proceedings. 

"  I  will  conduct  you  all  to  the  police  office, 
and  we  will  look  into  the  matter,"  said  the 
official,  as  he  took  me  upon  one  arm,  and  my 
father  upon  the  other. 

Lynch  walked  with  the  two  gentlemen,  one 
of  whom,  it  appeared,  was  connected  with  the 
Metropolitan  Police  Department,  which  explained 
his  interest  in  the  affair.  I  heard  him  telling 
his  story  to  them,  and  I  had  no  doubt  they 
were  greatly  edified  by  it.  We  arrived  at  the 
station,  and  were  presented  to  a  sergeant  of 
police,  who  imposed  upon  himself  the  task  of 
investigating  the  affair.  Mr.  Gray  stated  that 
he  had  found  me  holding  Lynch  upon  the  ground, 


156  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

while  Farringford  was  looking  into  a  pocket-book 
under  the  street  lamp. 

"  What  have  you  to  say  ? "  said  the  sergeant 
to  Lynch. 

"  I  was  going  across  the  levee  to  a  steamboat, 
when  this  man  and  boy  sprang  upon  me  and 
knocked  me  down  before  I  knew  what  they 
were  about,"  replied  Lynch.  "  They  took,  from 
me  my  pocket-bo.ok,  which  contains  over  two 
hundred  dollars,  and  my  purse,  with  fifty  or 
sixty  dollars  in  it,  mostly  in  gold." 

"  Do  you  know  either  of  these  parties  ?  "  asked 
the  sergeant. 

"  I  know  Farringford  —  everybody  knows  him," 
replied  Lynch.     "  I  don't  know  the  boy." 

"  I  am  sorry  to  see  that  Farringford  has  been 
reduced  to  anything  of  this  sort,"  added  Mr. 
Gray,  glancing  at  the  trembling  inebriate. 

"  Gentlemen,  I  am  willing  to  wait  till  this  trans- 
action can  be  investigated  for  the  vindication 
of  my  character,"  replied  Farringford,  straight- 
ening himself  up  as  much  as  his  tottering  limbs 
would  permit. 

"  Give  me  your  name,  if  you  please,"  said  the 
sergeant  to  Lynch. 


THE  MISHAPS   OF   A  MECHANIC.  157 

"My  name  is  Lynch." 

"  Full  name,  if  you  please." 

"  Samuel  Lynch." 

"Alias  Leonidas  Lynchpinne,"  I  added ;  "the 
name  he  called  himself  by  when  I  first  saw  him." 

"  Your  business,  if  you  please  ?  "  continued  the 
official,  as  he  wrote  down  the  name. 

"  I  have  no  regular  business  at  the  present 
time." 

"  That's  so  ! "  exclaimed  Farringford.  "  His 
business  is  very  irregular.  In  other  words,  he 
is  a  blackleg,  at  Forstellar's  or  on  the  river." 

"  No  matter  what  he  is ;  you  can't  knock 
him  down  and  rob  him  in  the  streets  of  St.  Louis," 
said  the  sergeant.  "  Have  you  either  the  pocket- 
book  or  the  purse,  Farringford?" 

"I  have  the  pocket-book,"  replied  my  father, 
producing  it. 

"  Did  you  take  this  from  Mr.  Lynch  ? "  asked 
the  officer,  as  the  pocket-book  was  handed  to 
him. 

"I  did  not." 

"  His  son  did,"  said  Lynch,  with  a  sneer. 

"What  do  you  mean  by  his  son?"  demanded 
Mr.  Gray,  with  a  smile. 


158  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

"  lie  told  me  the  boy  was  his  son." 

'■'  When  did  he  tell  you  so  ?  "  asked  the  sergeant, 
quietly. 

"  After  he  had  knocked  me  down,"  replied 
Lynch,  wincing  under  the  question,  which  was 
evidently  put  for  a  purpose. 

"  Then  you  talked  over  their  relationship  while 
the  boy  held  you  on  the  ground  ? "  suggested 
Mr.  Gray. 

"  No  ;  Farringford  only  called  the  boy  his  son." 

"  What  did  he  say  to  him  ?  " 

"  He  called  him  his  son,  and  told  him  to  hold 
me  fast." 

"  Before  he  took  your  pocket-book  from  you  ?  " 

"  No ;  afterwards,  while  he  was  looking  to 
see  what  was  in  it." 

"  This  is  not  the  way  robberies  are  usually 
committed,"  added  the  sergeant.  "  I  never  heard 
of  one  robber  holding  a  man  down  while  the 
other  looked  to  see  what  the  pocket-book  con- 
tained." 

"  Did  Farringford  call  you  his  son  ?  "  asked  Mr. 
Gray,  turning  to  me. 

"  Yes,  sir,  he  did ;  but  not  while  I  held  Lynch 


THE  MISHAPS   OF  A  MECHANIC.  159 

down.  It  was  while  we  were  in  Plum  Street/'  I 
replied. 

"  What  trick  were  yon  engaged  in  ?  "  demanded 
Mr.  Gray,  rather  sternly.  "  Why  did  he  call  you 
his  son  ?  " 

"  I  am  his  son.     He  is  my  father,"  I  answered. 

Farringford  looked  at  me  with  an  expression 
of  disapproval,  as  if  to  reproach  me  for  the  false- 
hood he  believed  I  had  uttered. 


160  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

IN  WHICH   PHIL   RECOVERS    HIS   MONEY. 

"  "S£  TOU  don't  mean  to  say  that  Farringford 
JL  here,  whom  everybody  in  St.  Louis  knows, 
is  your  father  —  do  you?"  continued  Mr.  Gray, 
apparently  amazed  at  the  absurdity  of  the  prop- 
osition, while  his  friend  and  the  sergeant  laughed 
heartily. 

"  That  is  precisely  what  I  mean  to  say,"  I 
replied,  in  the  most  determined  tone. 

Farringford  shook  his  head,  and  was  apparently 
sorry  that  I  had  turned  out  to  be  such  an  abom- 
inable liar. 

"  What  is  your  name  ?  "  inquired  the  sergeant. 

"  Philip  Farringford." 

I  had  taken  especial  pains  not  to  give  my  full 
name  to  my  father  when  he  questioned  me,  and 
he  doubtless  supposed  that  I  had  invented  the 
name  for   the  occasion.     He   looked  at  me,  and 


THE  MISHAPS   OF   A  MECHANIC.  161 

shook  his  head.  Very  likely,  by  this  time,  he  was 
willing  to  believe  1  had  deceived  him,  and  that 
I  had  lost  no  money,  for  if  I  could  lie  about  one 
thing  I  could  about  another. 

"  Do  you  justify  this  young  man  in  calling 
you  his  father,  Farringford  ? "   said  Mr.  Gray. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  say  I  cannot.  Gentlemen,  I 
have  endeavored  to  act  "in  good  faith,"  replied  my 
father.  "  I  have  always  found  that  the  truth 
would  serve  me  better  than  falsehood." 

"  Did  you  call  him  your  son  ?  " 

"I  did,  but  used  the  expression  as  a  kind  of 
harmless  fib  to  carry  my  purpose  with  this  Lynch, 
who  had  robbed  the  boy  of  nearly  a  hundred 
dollars." 

"  It  is  false  ! "  exclaimed  Lynch. 

"  Keep  cool,  if  you  please,  sir,"  interposed  the 
sergeant.  "  We  have  lieard  your  story,  and  now 
we  will  hear  the  other  side." 

"  Philip  may  have  deceived  me,  but  I  be- 
lieved that  he  had  been  robbed,  and  I  did  the 
best  I  could  to  get  his  money  back,  after  he  had 
pointed  out  to  me  the  man  who  took  it  from 
him.  Certainly  he  is  not  my  son.  I  never 
saw  him  till  yesterday ;  and  I  am  sorry  he  has 
11 


162  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

thought  it  necessary  to  repeat  my  fib,  or  false- 
hood, if  you  please,"  continued  Farringford. 

"  Nevertheless,  I  hope  I  shall  be  able  to  prove 
in  due  time  that  he  is  my  father,"  I  added. 

"  But,  my  lad,  everybody  knows  that  Far- 
ringford has  no  children,"  said  Mr.  Gray. 

"  Never  mind  that  now.  I  want  to  know 
whether  any  robbery  has  been  committed/'  in- 
terposed the  sergeant,  impatiently, 

"  Let  the  boy  tell  his  own  story,"  replied  Mr. 
Gray. 

"  Here  is  Lynch's  purse,"  I  began,  handing  it 
to  the  sergeant. 

"  Then  you  did  take  these  things  from  him  ?  " 

"1  did;  but  he  told  me  to  put  my  hand  in  his 
pocket  and  take  out  the  pocket-book  and  the 
purse." 

"■  Very  probable  !  "  sneered  Lynch. 

"  It's  all  true,"  said  Farringford. 

"  Well,  go  on,  young  man." 

"  I  was  coming  down  the  Missouri  River  in 
the  steamer  Fawn  —  " 

"  She  arrived  last  Tuesday  morning,"  inter- 
posed Mr.  Lamar,  the  gentleman  with  Mr.  Gray. 


THE   MISHAPS   OF  A   MECHANIC.  163 

"Yes,  sir.  I  was  with  Mr.  Gracewood  and 
his  family." 

"What  Gracewood?" 

"  Henry." 

"Is  he  a  brother  of  Bobert  Gracewood  of 
Glencoe?" 

"  I  don't  know.  He  had  a  brother  in  St. 
Louis,"  said  Mr.  Lamar,  who  was  an  elderly  gen- 
tleman, and  appeared  to  know  everybody  and 
everything, 

"  He  bought  a  place  at  Glencoe  a   year  ago." 

"His  wife's  brother  was  a  Mr.  Sparkley." 

"  It's  the  same  man.  But  he  separated  from 
his  Avife  years  ago,  cleared  out,  and  has  not  been 
heard  from  since." 

I  explained  that  the  family  had  been  reunited, 
and  were  on  their  way  to  St.  Louis.  I  had  en- 
deavored to  find  Mr.  Gracewood's  brother,  but 
without  success,  in  order  to  inform  him  of  what 
had  occurred  up  the.  river.  The  fact  that  he  had 
moved  from  the  city  explained  why  I  had  not 
found  his  name  in  the  Directory.  I  continued 
my  story,  with  frequent  interruptions,  much  to 
the  disgust  of  the  sergeant,  who  was  interested 
only  in  the  criminal  aspect  of  the  case.     I  told 


164  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

how  Lynch  had  robbed  me  at  Leavenworth,  how 
I  had  identified  him  in  St.  Louis,  and  followed 
him  and  Farringford  from  Forstellar's  to  Front 
Street. 

"  Every  word  of  that  story  is  true  so  far  as 
it  relates  to  me,'7  said  Farringford. 

"  I  watched  Lynch  and  Farringford,  the  former 
trying  to  get  rid  of  the  latter  all  the  time,  until  at 
last  he  laid  violent  hands  upon  him,"  I  continued. 
"  I  couldn't  stand  it  any  longer  ;  I  went  up  behind 
Lynch,  threw  my  hands  around  his  neck,  and 
stuck  my  knees  into  his  back  till  he  went  down. 
He  begged  me  to  let  him  up,  and  promised 
to  restore  my  money  if  I  would.  Then,  when 
I  was  not  willing  to  let  him  up  without  some 
security,  he  told  me  to  take  his  pocket-book  and 
purse.  That  was  just  what  was  going  on  when 
these  gentlemen  came  out  of  Plum  Street." 

"  Then  you  did  not  knock  him  down  till  he 
laid  hands  upon  Farringford?"  added  the  ser- 
geant. 

"  No,  sir ;  I  did  not  till  he  took  hold  of  my 
father." 

"Your  father!"    exclaimed   Mr.   Gray.      "The 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  165 

rest  of  your  story  is  so  straightforward  that  I 
hoped  you  would  abandon  that  fiction." 

"  It  is  no  fiction." 

"It  matters  not  to  me  whether  it  is  fact  or 
fiction,"  interposed  the  sergeant.  "  I  only  wish 
to  know  whether  or  not  a  crime  has  been  com- 
mitted in  St.  Louis.  If  the  boy  knocked  this 
Lynch  down  in  order  to  save  Farringford  from 
injury,  it  is  no  crime,  whether  father  or  not." 

"  I  cried,  '  Police  ! '  as  loud  as  I  could,  as  soon  as 
we  struck  the  ground,"  I  added. 

"  Can  you  identify  your  money  ? "  asked  the 
sergeant. 

"  Not  every  piece  of  it ;  but  there  was  a  five- 
dollar  gold  coin,  with  a  hole  through  the  middle, 
dated  1850.  The  clerk  of  the  Fawn  would  not 
take  it  for  my  passage  for  five  dollars." 

The  officer  poured  the  gold  from  the  purse 
upon  the  table,  and  instantly  picked  out  the  coin 

I  had  described,  which  Lynch  had  perhaps  found 
it  as  difficult  to  pass  as  I  had.  He  looked  at  the 
date,  and  declared  it  was  1850. 

"  That  is  very  good  evidence,  my  boy,"  said 
the  officer,  bestowing  a  smile  of  approval  upon  me. 

II  Can  you  give  me  any  more." 


166  PLANE   AND   PLANK,  OR 

"If  yon  can  find  Captain  Davis,  of  the  Fawn, 
he  will  say  that  I  left  the  boat  with  Lynch." 

"Where  is  he?" 
.    "He    has    gone   up   to   Alton  with   the    Fawn. 
When   Mr.    Grace  wood    comes,   he   will  tell  you 
the  same  thing." 

a  Your  witnesses  are  not  at  hand.  In  what 
boat  did  you  come  down  the  river." 

"In  the  Fawn." 

"  And  you,  Mr.  Lynch  ?  " 

"In  the  Daylight." 

"Where  from?" 

"St.  Joe." 

The  sergeant  continued  to  question  and  cross- 
question  Lynch  for  half  an  hour.  His  statements 
were  confused  and  contradictory,  and  being  based 
upon  falsehoods,  they  could  not  well  be  otherwise. 
It  appeared  that  the  Daylight,  in  which  he  had 
arrived,  came  down  the  river  immediately  after 
the  Fawn,  which  made  my  story  the  more  prob- 
able. 

"I  do  not  see  that  any  crime  has  been  com- 
mitted in  St.  Louis,"  said  the  officer,  after  his  long 
and  patient  investigation. 

"  Then  you  don't  call  it  a  crime  to  knock  a  man 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  167 

down,  and  take  his  purse  and  pocket-book  from 
him  ?  "  added  Lynch,  in  deep  disgust. 

"  I  believe  the  young  man's  story,"  replied  the 
officer.  "  If  your  money  had  been  taken  from 
you  by  force,  you  would  not  have  walked  quietly 
through  the  streets  with  those  who  robbed  you, 
passing  an  officer  on  your  way  without  hinting 
at  what  had  happened.  The  young  man's  story 
is  straightforward  and  consistent,  except  as  to 
his  relations  with  Farringford,  which  is  not  ma- 
terial. I  am  of  the  opinion  that  you  commenced 
the  assault  upon  Farringford." 

"Not  so." 

"  Both  Farringford  and  the  young  man  agree 
in  all  essential  points." 

Lynch  growled  and  protested,  but  finally  de- 
clared that  he  was  satisfied  to  let  the  matter 
drop  where  it  was.  He  had  recovered  his  money, 
and  he  could  not  complain. 

"  But  I  have  not  recovered  mine,  and  I  am  not 
satisfied,"  I  added,  feeling  that  the  discharge  of 
Lynch  was  total  defeat  to  me. 

"  You  were  robbed  in  the  territory  of  Kansas, 
and  not  in  the  city  of  St.  Louis,"  replied  the 
officer. 


168  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

"  Must  I  lose  my  money  for  that  reason  ? " 

"  Certainly  not ;  but  the  complaint  against 
Lynch  must  be  made  at  Leavenworth,  and  a 
requisition  from  the  governor  of  the  territory 
must  be  sent  here." 

The  case  was  full  of  difficulties,  and  Lynch,  in 
charge  of  a  policeman,  was  sent  out  of  the  room 
to  enable  us  to  consider  the  best  means  of  pro. 
ceeding.  I  could  not  go  back  to  Leavenworth 
very  conveniently,  and  it  would  cost  me  more 
than  the  amount  of  money  I  had  lost.  We  de- 
cided to  let  the  matter  rest  till  the  next  .day,  and 
Lynch  was  called  in  again. 

"  I  propose  to  detain  you  till  to-morrow,  when 
Farringford  will  complain  of  you  for  an  assault," 
said  the  officer. 

"  I  would  rather  give  a  hundred  dollars  than 
be  detained,"  said  Lynch. 

"  We  don't  settle  cases  in  that  way.  Of  course 
we  intend  to  reach  the  robbery  matter  in  some 
manner." 

"  I  will  give  the  boy  the  money  he  claims  to 
have  lost,"  added  the  culprit. 

"  If  you  wish  to  restore  the  money,  you  can," 
replied  the  sergeant. 


THE  MISHAPS   OP   A   MECHANIC.  169 

"I  do  not  admit  the  truth  of  his  story." 

"  Then  you  shall  not  give  him  any  money. 
You  shall  not  be  swindled  here." 

"  If  I  admit  the  —  " 

"  Don't  commit  yourself  unless  you  choose  to  do 
so.  Whatever  you  say  may  be  used  as  evidence 
to  convict  you." 

"  You  put  me  in  a  tight  place,"  said  Lynch. 
"  If  I  commit  myself,  you  will  prosecute  me. 
If  I  don't  commit  myself,  I  cannot  give  the  boy 
the  money." 

"  I  did  not  say  I  should  prosecute  you.  The 
crime,  if  any,  was  committed  beyond  the  limits 
of  this  state.  I  cannot  enter  a  complaint.  The 
young  man  may  do  so  if  he  thinks  best." 

"  Can  I  make  Phil  a  present  of  a  hundred 
dollars?"  demanded  Lynch,  desperately. 

"  You  can  do  as  you  please  with  your  own 
money,"  answered  the  officer. 

The  robber  counted  a  hundred  dollars  from 
his  pocket-book,  and  handed  it  to  Mr.  Lamar, 
who  declared  that  the  amount  was  right,  and 
the  bills  were  good.  It  was  passed  to  me ;  but 
I  declined  to  receive  any  more  than  I  had  lost, 


170  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

and  changing  a  bill,  I  returned  two  dollars  and  a 
half. 

"  I  will  make  no  complaint  for  assault  now," 
said  Farringford. 

"  Then  I  cannot  detain  him.  If  the  young  man 
chooses  to  complain  of  Lynch  in  Leavenworth, 
he  is  still  liable  to  prosecution." 

"  I  will  risk  that,"  said  Lynch,  more  cheerfuly. 

"  You  can  leave,"  added  the  officer. 

The  rascal  promptly  availed  himself  of  this 
permission,  and  left  the  office. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  have  a  case  settled  in  that 
manner.  I  know  that  man  as  a  notorious  black- 
leg," continued  the  officer. 

"I  don't  see  that  it  could  be  settled  in  any 
other  way  now,"  replied  Mr.  Gray.  "  We  have 
done  nothing  to  prejudice  the  interests  of  justice. 
The  young  man  can  prosecute  now." 

"  I  can't  afford  to  go  to  Kansas  to  do  so,"  I 
replied. 

"  We  will  keep  watch  of  him,"  said  the  ser- 
geant. 

We  all  left  the  office  together.  The  two 
gentlemen  who  had  manifested  so  much  interest 
in  the  affair  were  unwilling  to  part  with  Farring- 


THE  MISHAPS   OF  A   MECHANIC.  171 

ford  and  me.  Mr.  Gray  asked  me  what  had  in- 
duced me  to  say  that  Farringford  was  my  father. 

"  It's  a  long  story,  gentlemen ;  and  I  have  to 
convince  him  as  well  as  you  of  the  truth  of  what 
I  say.  If  you  will  go  to  my  boarding-house  I 
will  do  so." 

I  told  them  where  it  was,  and  they  consented 
to  accompany  me.  When  we  reached  the  house, 
Mrs.  Greenough  was  astonished  at  the  number 
of  my  visitors,  t/ut  I  conducted  them  all  to  my 
chamber. 


172  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 


CHAPTER  XV. 

IN  WHICH  PHIL   PRODUCES  THE  RELICS  OF  HIS 
CHILDHOOD. 

"AVING  seated  my  party  in  my  chamber, 
I  told  the  last  part  of  my  story  first.  I 
began  by  saying  that  I  had  been  brought  up  on 
the  upper  Missouri,  by  Matt  Rockwood,  relating 
all  my  experience  down  to  the  present  moment, 
including  the  history  of  the  Gracewoods. 

"  That's  all  very  well,  Phil ;  but  where  were 
you  born  ? "  asked  Mr.  Gray.  "  You  left  that 
part  out,  and  told  us  everything  except  that 
which  we  wished  to  know." 

"  I  don't  know  where  I  was  born.  You  must 
ask  my  father  ?  " 

"  Do  you  still  persist  in  saying  that  Farring- 
ford  is  your  father  ?  " 

"  I  still  persist," 

"  But  he  has  no  children." 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  173 

"  I  had  one  child,"  interposed  Farringford,  trem- 
bling with  emotion,  as  well  as  from  the  effects 
of  inebriation. 

"  I  remember,"  said  Mr.  Lamar.  "  You  lost 
that  child  when  the  Farringford  was  burned." 

"  Yes,"  replied  my  father,  with  a  shudder. 

"  Will  you  state  precisely  how  that  child  was 
lost,  sir  ? "  I  continued.  "  I  would  not  ask  you 
to  do  so  if  it  were  not  necessary,  for  I  know  the 
narrative  is  painful." 

"  I  suppose  you  claim  to  be  this  child,  which, 
if  I  remember  rightly,  was  a  girl,"  added  Mr. 
Lamar. 

"  No ;  it  was  a  boy,"  responded  Mr.  Farringford. 

"  Gentlemen,  I  shall  leave  you  to  draw  your 
own  conclusions,  after  you  have  heard  the  rest 
of  the  story." 

"  Can  it  be  possible  that  you  are  my  lost  child, 
Philip?"  said  my  father. 

"  Let  us  see  the  evidence  before  we  decide," 
I  replied.     "Now,  how  was  the  child  lost?" 

"  My  wife's  brother,  Lieutenant  Collingsby,  was 
stationed  at  a  fort  on  the  upper  Missouri.  My 
wife  was.  anxious  to  see  him.  and  we  started  in 
one  of  the  steamers  I  owned  then,  with  our  little 


174  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

boy  two  years  old,"  Mr.  Farringford  began.  "  The 
boat  had  our  family  name,  and  was  the  finest  one 
I  owned.  We  enjoyed  the  trip  very  much.  I 
didn't  drink  very  hard  at  that  time,  gentlemen, 
though  I  occasionally  took  too  much  in  the  even- 
ing, or  on  a  festive  occasion.  On  the  night  the 
steamer  was  burned,  we  were  within  thirty  miles 
of  the  fort  to  which  we  were  going,  and  where 
we  intended  to  remain  till  the  Farringford  re- 
turned from  her  trip  to  the  mouth  of  the  Yellow- 
stone. I  know  my  wife  did  not  undress  the 
child,  because  we  hoped  to  reach  the  fort,  and 
spend  the  night  at  the  barracks. 

"  Expecting  to  part  with  the  passengers  that 
evening,  we  had  a  merry  time ;  and  I  drank  till 
I  was,  in  a  word,  intoxicated.  I  supplied  whis- 
key and  champagne  for  everybody  on  board,  not 
excepting  the  officers,  crew,  and  firemen,  who 
would  drink  them.  Even  the  two  or  three  ladies 
who  were  on  board  partook  of  the  sparkling  bev- 
erage. Wishing  to  reach  the  fort  as  early  as 
possible,  I  told  the  firemen  and  engineers  to  hur- 
ry up  when  I  gave  them  their  whiskey.  They 
obeyed  me  to  the  letter,  and  the  furnaces  were 
heated  red  hot.     I  do  not  know  to  this  day  how 


THE  MISHAPS   OF  A  MECHANIC.  175 

the  boat  took  fire  ;  but  I  do  know  that  a  barrel 
of  camphene,  belonging  to  some  army  stores  on 
board,  was  stove,  and  its  contents  ran  all  over 
the  forward  deck, 

"All  hands  worked  hard  to  save  the  boat; 
but  they  worked  in  vain.  The  pilot  finally  ran 
her  ashore.  I  pulled  down  a  door,  and  carried 
it  to  the  main  deck  aft,  while  my  wife  conveyed 
the  child  to  the  same  point.  The  fire  was  for- 
ward, so  that  we  could  not  leave  the  boat  by 
the  bow,  which  had  been  run  on  shore.  I  place'd 
my  little  one  upon  the  door,  wrapped  in  a  shawl, 
with  a  pillow  on  each  side  to  keep  it  from  rolling 
into  the  water.  The  captain  was  to  help  my 
wife,  while  I  swam  behind  the  door,  holding  it 
with  my  hands.  In  this  position,  partially  sup- 
ported by  the  raft,  I  expected  to  be  able  to 
propel  it  to  the  shore.  My  plan  was  good,  and 
would  have  been  successful,  without  a  doubt,  if 
I  had  not  been  intoxicated. 

"  When  I  was  about  to  drop  into  the  water, 
the  stern  of  the  boat  suddenly  swung  around, 
and  I  lost  my  hold  upon  the  raft.  I  had  been 
lying  upon  the  edge  of  the  deck,  with  my  leg 
around  a  stanchion,  my  head   hanging  over  the 


176  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

water;  and  I  think  my  position,  in  addition  to 
the  fumes  of  the  liquor  I  had  drank,  made  me 
dizzy.  I  lost  the  door,  and  I  think  I  partial^ 
lost  my  senses  at  the  same  time.  The  steamer, 
as  she  swung  around,  slipped  from  the  abrupt 
shore  which  held  her.  This  movement  created 
a  tremendous  excitement,  amounting  to  almost 
despair,  among  the  passengers  and  crew.  The 
door  was  carried  away  from  the  steamer,  and  I 
lost  sight  of  it.  When  I  was  able  again  to  real- 
ize my  situation,  I  tried  to  discover  the  door, 
but  in  vain.  I  threw  a  box,  which  the  captain 
had  prepared  to  support  my  wife,  into  the  water, 
and  leaped  in  myself. 

"  The  current  swept  the  steamer  down  the 
river.  I  paddled  my  box  to  the  shore,  and 
landed." 

"  On  which  side  did  you  land  ? "  I  asked. 

"  On  the  north  side.  I  ran  on  the  bank  of  the 
river,  looking  for  my  child.  The  glare  from  the 
burning  steamer  lighted  up  the  water,  but  I 
could  see  nothing  floating  on  the  surface.  I  was 
the  only  person  who  had  left  the  boat  so  far,  and 
I  followed  her  till,  two  or  three  miles  below  the 
point  where   I  had    landed,   one   of  her  boilers 


THE  MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  177 

exploded,  and  she  became  a  wreck.  About  one 
half  of  the  passengers  and  crew  were  saved  on 
boxes,  barrels,  and  doors.  By  the  aid  of  the 
captain  my  wife  was  brought  to  the  shore.  I 
shall  never  forget  her  agony  when  I  told  her 
that  our  child  was  lost.  She  sank  senseless 
upon  the  ground ;  but  she  came  to  herself  after 
a  time.  I  wished  that  I  had  perished  in  the  flood 
when  I  realized  the  anguish  of  losing  my  only 
child.  I  could  not  comfort  her ;  I  needed  com- 
fort myself.  I  spent  the  long  night  in  walking 
up  and  down  the  banks  of  the  river,  looking  for 
my  lost  little  boy.  Below  the  place  where  most 
of  the  passengers  landed  I  found  many  doors 
and  other  parts  of  the  boat ;  but  I  could  not  find 
my  child. 

"  I  reasoned  that  the  current  would  carry  the 
raft  which  bore  up  my  child  to  the  same  points 
where  other  floating  articles  were  found,  and  I 
was  forced  to  the  conclusion  that  my  darling  had 
rolled  from  the  door  and  perished  in  the  cold 
waters.  I  shuddered  to  think  of  it.  Before  day- 
light in  the  morning  another  steamer  appeared, 
coming  down  the  river.  We  hailed  her,  and 
were  taken  on  board.  She  proved  to  be  one  of 
12 


178  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

my  boats,  and  I  caused  the  most  diligent  search 
to  be  made  for  my  lost  little  one.  About  a  mile 
below  the  point  where  the  Farringford  had  been 
run  ashore  we  found  a  door,  with  one  pillow  upon 
it,  aground  on  the  upper  end  of  an  island.  This 
discovery  was  the  knell  of  my  last  hope.  Of 
course  the  child  had  rolled  from  the  door  and 
perished.  I  wept  bitterly,  and  my  wife  fainted, 
though  we  only  realized  what  seemed  inevitable 
from  the  first.  We  discovered  this  door  about 
daylight,  and  it  was  useless  to  prolong  the  search. 
The  evidence  that  my  child  was  lost  was  too  pain- 
fully conclusive. 

"  My  wife  wished  to  return  home.  We  were 
going  on  a  pleasure  excursion,  but  it  had  termi- 
nated in  a  burden  of  woe  which  can  never  be 
lifted  from  my  wife  or  from  me.  I  drank  whiskey 
to  droAvn  my  misery.  I  was  seldom  sober  after 
this,  and  I  lost  all  my  property  in  reckless  specu- 
lations. I  became  what  I  am  now.  My  wife 
never  would  taste  even  champagne  after  that 
terrible  night.  She  in  some  measure  recovered 
her  spirits,  though  she  can  never  be  what  she 
was  before.  After  I  had  lost  everything,  and 
could   no   longer    provide   a   home    for  her,   she 


THE  MISHAPS   OF   A  MECHANIC.  179 

returned  to  her  father.  I  have  not  seen  her  for 
five  years ;  but  I  do  not  blame  her.  She  was  a 
beautiful  woman,  and  worthy  of  a  better  husband 
thaD  I  was.  You  know  the  whole  story  now, 
Philip.     These  gentlemen  knew  it  before." 

"  Not  all  of  it,"  added  Mr.  Lamar.  "  And  now 
we  can  pity  and  sympathize  with  you  as  we  could 
not  before." 

"  No ;  I  deserve  neither  pity  nor  sympathy," 
groaned  my  poor  father,  trembling  violently.  "If 
I  had  not  been  drunk  I  should  have  saved  my 
child." 

"  Perhaps  it  is  all  for  the  best,  since  the  child 
Was  saved,"  said  I. 

"  It  is  impossible  !  "  exclaimed  Farringford. 
*  I  cannot  believe  it.  There  was  no  one  in  that 
lonely  region ;  and,  if  my  child  had  reached  the 
shore,  it  must  have  perished  more  miserably  of 
starvation  than  in  the  water." 

"  You  say  your  wife  did  not  undress  the  child, 
because  you  expected  to  reach  the  fort  that 
evening,"  I  continued.  "  Do  you  know  what 
clothes  it  had  on  ?  " 

"  I  ought  to  know,  for  I  have  tearfully  recalled 
the  occasion  when  I  last  pressed  it  to  my  heart, 


180  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

after  supper  that  awful  niglit.  It  wore  a  little 
white  cambric  dress,  with  bracelets  of  coral  on 
the  shoulders." 

"  Anything  on  the  neck  ?  " 

"  Yes ;  a  coral  necklace,  to  which  was  attached 
a  locket  containing  a  miniature  of  my  wife." 

"  In  what  kind  of  a  shawl  was  it  wrapped  when 
you  placed  it  on  the  door  ? "  I  asked,  as  I  un- 
locked the  bureau  drawer  in  which  I  had  placed 
the  precious  relics  of  my  childhood. 

While  he  was  describing  it  I  took  the  shawl 
from  the  drawer. 

"Is  this  it?" 

Farringford  trembled  in  every  fibre  of  his 
frame  as  he   glanced  at  the  article. 

"  It  looks  like  it.  I  do  not  know  whether  it 
is  the  same   one  or  not." 

I  trembled  almost  as  much  as  the  poor  ine- 
briate in  the  excitement  of  the  moment. 

"  I  should  hardly  consider  that  sufficient  evi- 
dence," said  Mr.  Gray.  "  There  are  thousands 
of  shawls  just  like   that." 

"  I  intend  to  furnish  more  evidence,"  I  replied, 
producing  the  stained  and  mildewed  dress  I  had 


THE  MISHAPS   OP  A  MECHANIC.  181 

brought  from  the  settlement.  "  Do  you  know 
that  dress,  Mr.  Farringford  ?  " 

"■  It  certainly  looks  like  the  one  my  child  wore." 

It  was  examined  by  the  gentlemen  ;  but  they 
thought  the  evidence  was  not  yet  conclusive, 
and  I  took  the  bracelets  from  the   drawer. 

"  Did  you  ever  see  these  before  ? "  I  asked, 
handing  them  to  the  palsied  drunkard.  "  You 
will  see  the  initials  P.  F.  on  the   clasps." 

"  I  have  seen  these,  and  I  know  them  well. 
They  were  given  to  my  child  by  my  brother 
Philip,"  replied  he,  with  increasing  emotion. 

"  There  may  be  some  mistake,"  suggested  Mr. 
Lamar.  "  Hundreds  and  thousands  of  just  such 
trinkets  have  been  sold  in  St.  Louis." 

"  But  these  have  the  initials  of  my  child  upon 
them." 

"  P.  F.  may  stand  for  Peter  Fungus,  or  a  dozen 
other  names,"  replied  Mr.  Gray.  "  The  evidence 
is  certainly  good  as  far  as  it  goes,  but  not  con- 
elusive." 

"  What  should  you  regard  as  conclusive,  sir  ?  " 
I  asked,  rather  annoyed  at  his  scepticism,  which 
I  regarded  as  slightly  unreasonable. 

"Evidence,  to  be  entirely  conclusive,  must  be 


182  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

susceptible  of  only  one  meaning,"  added  Mr.  La- 
mar. "  The  articles  you  have  produced  may  have 
belonged  to  some  other  person,  though  it  is  not 
probable." 

"  I  don't  know  that  I  shall  be  able  to  satisfy 
you,  but  I  will  try  once  more,"  I  replied,  taking 
the  locket  from  the  drawer. 

I  handed  the  locket  to  Farringford.  He  grasped 
it  with  his  shaking  hands,  and  turned  it  over 
and  over.  He  examined  the  necklace  with  great 
care,  and  then  tried  to  open  the  locket.  He 
trembled  so  that  he  could  not  succeed,  and  I 
opened  it  for  him.  He  glanced  at  the  beautiful 
face  upon  which  I  had  so  often  gazed  by  the 
hour  together. 

"  My  wife  !"  exclaimed  he,  sinking  into  his  chair, 
and  covering  his  face  with  his  hands,  sobbing  con- 
vulsively like  a  child.      "  You  are  my  son  !  " 

"  Perhaps  not,"  interposed  Mr.  Lamar,  very 
much  to  my  disgust. 

But  my  poor  father  was  satisfied,  and  sprang 
forward  to  embrace  me.  The  excitement  was 
too  much  for  his  shattered  nerves,  and  he  dropped 
fainting  into  my  arms.  We  placed  him  upon  the 
bed,  and  I  went  for  Mrs.  Greenough. 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  183 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

IN  WHICH   PHIL   STRUGGLES   EARNESTLY  TO   REFORM 
HIS   FATHER. 

THE  skilful  ministrations  of  Mrs.  Greenough 
soon  restored  my  father  to  himself.  He  had 
probably  eaten  nothing  since  he  took  his  break- 
fast with  me  early  in  the  morning,  and  his  frame 
was  not  in  condition  to  bear  the  pressure  of  the 
strong  emotions  which  had  agitated  him. 

"  My  son ! "  exclaimed  he,  as  the  incidents 
which  had  just  transpired  came  back  to  his 
mind. 

"My  father!"  I  replied. 

He  extended  his  trembling  hand  to  me,  and 
I  took  it.  .  It  would  have  been  a  blessed  mo- 
ment to  me  if  I  could  have  forgotten  "what  he 
was,  or  if  I  could  have  lifted  him  up  from  the 
abyss  of  disgrace  and  shame  into  which  he  had 
sunk.     I  hoped,  with  the  blessing  of  God,  that  I 


184  PLANE   AND    PLANK,    OR 

should  be  able  to  do  this  in  some  measure.  I 
determined  to  labor  without  ceasing,  with  zeal 
and  prayer,  to  accomplish  this  end. 

"  I  pity  you,  my  son,"  said  my  father,  covering 
his  eyes  with  his  hands.  It  can  be  no  joy  to  you 
to  find  such  a  father." 

"  I  should  not  be  sincere,  father,  if  I  did  not 
say  I  wished  you  were  different." 

"  Philip,  —  if  that  is  really  your  name,  —  I  will 
reform,  or  I  will  die,"  said  he,  with  new  emotion. 
"  I  have  something  to  hope  for  now.  The  good 
God,  who,  I  believed,  had  deserted  me  years  ago, 
has  been  kinder  to  me  than  I  deserved." 

"He  is  that  to  all  of  us,  father." 

"  Where  did  you  get  this  locket,  young  man?  " 
asked  Mr.  Lamar,  who  evidently  believed  there 
was  still  a  possibility  that  a  mistake  had  been 
made. 

I  replied  that  I  had  found  it  in  the  chest  of 
Matt  Kockwood,  who  had  taken  me  from  the  door 
in  the  river;  and  I  repeated  that  part  of  my 
narrative  which  I  had  omitted  before. 

"  You  need  not  cavil,  gentlemen,"  interposed 
my  father.  <;  I  am  satisfied.  I  can  distinguish 
the  features  of  my  lost  son.      If  you  knew  my 


THE  MISHAPS    OP   A   MECHANIC.  185 

wife,  you  can  see  that  he  resembles  her.  Look 
at  the  portrait,  and  then  look  at  him." 

"1  have  seen  Mrs.  Farringford,  but  I  do  not 
exactly  remember  her  looks/'  added  Mr.  Lamar. 

"  Matt  RockAVood  is  dead ;  but  there  is  a  living 
witness  who  saw  the  child  he  found  only  a  day 
or  two  after  it  was  picked  up,"  I  continued. 

"  Who  is  he  ?  " 

"Kit  Cruncher;  he  is  at  the  settlement  now, 
and  has  known  me  for  eleven  years.  Mr.  Grace- 
wood,  whom  I  expect  in  St.  Louis  soon,  has 
known  me  for  six  years,  and  has  heard  Matt 
Rockwood  tell  the  story  of  finding  the  child." 

"  If  I  am  satisfied,  no  one  else  need  complain," 
said  my  father.  "  There  are  no  estates,  no  prop- 
erty, nor  a  dollar  left,  to  which  any  claim  is  to 
be  established.  I  am  a  beggar  and  a  wretch,  and 
an  inheritance  of  shame  and  misery  is  all  I  have 
for  him." 

"  But  you  forget  that  your  wife  is  still  living, 
Farringford,"  added  Mr.  Lamar.  "  Her  father  is 
a  wealthy  man,  and  his  large  property,  at  no 
very  distant  day,  will  be  divided  among  his 
three  children." 

"  Yery  true;  I  did  not  think  of  that.     I  have 


18G  PLANE  AND   PLANK,  OR 

so  long  been  accustomed  to  regard  her  as  lost  to 
rae  that  I  did  not  think  my  boy  still  had  a 
mother,"  answered  my  father,  bitterly.  "  But 
when  she  sees  him,  she  will  not  ask  that  any  one 
should  swear  to  his  identity.  She  will  know 
him,  though  eleven  years  have  elapsed  since  she 
saw  him." 

"But  where  is  she?"  I  asked,  anxiously. 
"  I  do  not  know,  Philip." 
"When  did  you  see  her  last?" 
"  It  is  four  or  five  years  since  we  met." 
"But  haven't  you  heard  from  her?" 
"  Once,  and  only  once.     After  she  left  me,  and 
went  back  to  her  father,  I  tried  to   see  her  oc- 
casionally,  for  I   have    never   lost    my   affection 
and  respect  for  her.     I  annoyed  Mr.  Collingsby, 
her  father,  trying  to  obtain  money  of  him.     Three 
years  ago  the  family  moved  away  from  St.  Louis, 
partly,  if  not  wholly,  I  know,  to  avoid  me,  and 
to  take  my  wife  away  from  the  scene  of  all  her 
misery." 

"  Where  did  they  go  ?  " 

"  To  Chicago,  where  Mr.  Collingsby  was  largely 
interested  in  railroad  enterprises." 
"Is  the  family  still  there?" 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  187 

"I  do  not  know." 

"They  are,"  added  Mr.  Gray. 

"But  iny  wife  is  not  there/'  said  my  father. 
"  Some  one  told  me,  a  year  ago,  he  had  met  her 
in  Europe,  where  she  intended  to  travel  for  three 
years  with  her  brother  and  his  wife.  Really, 
Philip,  I  know  nothing  more  about  her.  I  wish 
I  could  lead  you  to  her." 

I  was  indeed  very  sad  when  I  thought  that 
years  might  elapse  before  I  could  see  her  who 
had  given  me  being. 

"  I  will  make  some  inquiries,  Phil,  in  regard  to 
the  Collingsbys,"  said  Mr.  Lamar. 

"  Are  you  satisfied,  sir,  that  I  am  what  I  say  I 
am?"  I  asked. 

"  I  have  no  doubt  you  are,  though  perhaps  your 
case  is  not  absolutely  beyond  cavil.  The  old 
man  who  died  might  have  found  the  body  of  the 
child,  and  taken  the  clothes  and  trinkets  from  it ; 
but  that  is  not  probable." 

"  But  I  can  produce  a  man  who  has  known  me 
from  my  childhood,"  I  replied. 

"  You  can,  but  you  have  not,"  added  he,  with  a 
smile. 


188  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

"  I  will  produce  him  if  necessary.  I  hope  j'ou 
will  see  Mr.  Gracewood  when  he  arrives." 

"  I  will,  if  possible.  But,  Farringfod,  was  there 
no  mark  or  scar  of  any  kind  on  the  child  which 
will  enable  you  to  identify  him?" 

"  I  know  of  none.  Perhaps  his  mother  does," 
answered  my  father.  "  But  I  tell  you  I  am  sat- 
isfied. I  ask  for  no  proof.  I  know  his  face  now. 
It  all  comes  back  to  me  like  a  forgotten  dream." 

"  Very  well ;  but,  Farringford,  you  have  some- 
thing to  live  for  now,"  added  Mr.  Lamar. 

"  I  have,  indeed,"  replied  the  trembling  suf- 
ferer, as  he  glanced  fondly  at  me.  "  I  will  try 
to  do  better." 

"  When  you  feel  able  to  do  anything,  we  shall 
be  glad  to  help  you  to  a  situation  where  you 
can  do  something  to  support  your  boy,"  said  Mr. 
Gray. 

"  I  can  take  care  of  myself,  gentlemen.  I  am 
getting  three  dollars  a  week  now,  and  1  hope 
soon  to  obtain  more,"  I  interposed. 

"  Three  dollars  a  week  Avill  hardly  support  you." 

"I  shall  be  able  to  get  along  upon  that  sum 
for  the  present.  Mrs.  Greenough  is  very  kind 
to  me." 


THE  MISHAPS   OF  A  MECHANIC.  189 

The  two  gentleman  said  all  they  could  to 
inspire  my  poor  father  with  hope  and  strength, 
and  then  departed.  I  was  very  much  obliged  to 
them  for  the  interest  and  sympathy  they  had 
manifested,  and  promised  to  call  upon  them  when 
I  needed  any  assistance. 

"  I  am  amazed,  Philip,"  said  my  father,  when 
our  friends  had  gone. 

"  I  knew  that  you  were  my  father  when  we 
met  in  the  evening  at  the  Planters'  Hotel,"  I  re- 
plied. "  You  remember  that  you  told  me  you  had 
lost  a  child  on  the  upper  Missouri." 

"  I  did ;  I  was  thinking  then  what  a  terrible 
curse  whiskey  had  been  to  me.  You  looked  like 
a  bright,  active  boy,  and  I  desired  to  warn  you, 
by  my  own  sad  experience,  never  to  follow  in  the 
path  I  had  trodden.  I  did  not  suspect  that  I  was 
talking  to  my  own  son;  but  all  the  more  would 
I  warn  you  now." 

"  You  thrilled  my  very  soul,  father,  with  your 
words,  and  I  shall  never  forget  them.  I  shall 
pray  to  God  to  save  both  you  and  me  from  the 
horrors  of  intemperance." 

"  Philip,  I  have  resolved  most  solemnly,  a  hun- 


190  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

dred  times,  to  drink  no  more ;  but  I  did  not  keep 
my  promise  even  twenty-four  hours." 

"  Is  your  mind  so  weak  as  that  ?  " 

"  Mind !  I  have  no  mind,  my  son.  I  haven't  a 
particle  of  strength,  either  of  body  or  mind." 

"  You  must  look  to  God  for  strength,"  said  Mrs. 
Greenough,  who  had  listened  in  silence  to  our 
conversation. 

u  I  have,  madam ;  but  he  does  not  hear  the 
prayer  of  such  a  wretch  as  I  am." 

"  You  wrong  him,  Mr.  Farringford,"  replied 
the  widow,  solemnly.  "  He  hears  the  prayers 
of  the  weakest  and  the  humblest.  You  have  no 
strength  of  your  own  ;  seek  strength  of  him.  My 
husband  was  reduced  as  low  as  you  are.  For 
ten  years  of  his  life  he  was  a  miserable  drunkard ; 
but  he  was  always  kind  to  me.  Hundreds  of 
times  he  promised  to  drink  no  more,  but  as  often 
broke  his  promise.  I  became  interested  in  re- 
ligion, and  then  I  understood  why  he  had  always 
failed.  I  prayed  with  my  husband,  and  for  him. 
He  was  moved,  and  wept  like  a  child.  Then  he 
prayed  with  me,  and  the  strength  of  purpose  he 
needed  came  from  God.  He  was  saved,  but  he 
never  ceased  to  pray.     He  redeemed  himself,  and 


THE  MISHAPS   OF  A  MECHANIC.  191 

never  drank  another  drop.  Before  he  died,  he 
had  paid  for  this  house,  besides  supporting  us 
very  handsomely  for  ten  years.77 

"That  is  hopeful,  madam;  but  I  am  afraid  I 
am  too  far  gone.  I  have  no  wife  to  pray  with 
me,"  said  my  father,  gloomily. 

"  I  will  pray  with  yon." 

Throwing  herself  upon  her  knees  before  a  chair, 
she  poured  forth  her  petition  for  the  salvation  of 
the  drunkard  with  an  unction  that  moved  both 
him  and  me.  I  heard  my  father  sobr  in  his  weak- 
ness and  imbecility.  He  was  as  a  little  child,  and 
was  moved  and  influenced  like  one. 

"You  must  pray  yourself,  Mr.  Farringford," 
said  she,  when  she  had  finished.  "  You  must 
feel  the  need  of  help,  and  then  seek  it  earnestly 
and  devoutly." 

"  I  thank  you,  madam,  for  all  your  kindness.  I 
will  try  to  do  better.  I  will  try  to  pray,"  said 
he.  "  Could  you  give  me  some  more  of  the  med- 
icine I  took  last  night  and  this  morning?  It 
helped  me  very  much." 

"  Certainly  I  can.  I  will  do  everything  in  the 
world  for  you,  if  you  Will  only  stay  here  and  try 
to  get  well." 


192  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

She  left  the  room,  and  went  into  the  kitchen 
to  prepare  the  soothing  drinks  which  the  excited 
nerves  of  the  patient  demanded. 

"  I  will  reform,  Philip.  I  will  follow  this  good 
lady's  advice.  Give  me  your  hand,  my  son,"  said 
my  father. 

"  0,  iT  you  only  would,  father !  This  world 
would  be  full  of  happiness  for  us  then.  We  could 
find  my  mother,  and  be  reunited  forever." 

"  God  helping  me,  I  will  never  drink  another 
drop  of  liquor,"  said  he,  solemnly  lifting  up  his 
eyes,  as  I  held  his  trembling  hand. 

Mrs.  Greenough  opportunely  returned  with  the 
medicines,  and  with  a  folded  paper  in  her  hand. 
As  my  father  took  his  potion,  she  opened  the 
paper,  which  was  a  temperance  pledge,  on  which 
was  subscribed  the  name  of  "  Amos  Greenough." 

"  This  is  the  pledge  my  husband  signed,  with 
trembling  hand,  ten  years  before  his  death.  It 
was  salvation  to  him  here  —  and  hereafter.  Will 
you  add  your  name  to  it,  Mr.  Farringford  ? "  said 
Mrs.  Greenough. 

"  I  will." 

11  Not  unless   you  are  solemnly  resolved,  with 


THE  MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  193 

tlie  help  of  God,  to  keep  your  promise,"  she 
added.  "  Not  unless  you  are  willing  to  work, 
and  struggle,  and  pray  for   your  own  salvation." 

"I  am  willing;  and  I  feel  a  hope,  even  now, 
madam,  that  God  has  heard  your  prayer  for  a 
poor  wretch  like  me." 

"  Sign,  then ;  and  God  bless  you,  and  enable 
you  to  keep  this  solemn  covenant  with  him." 

She  took  the  writing  materials  from  the  bureau, 
and  my  father,  with  trembling  hand,  wrote  his 
name  upon  the  pledge. 

"  May  God  enable  me  to  keep  it ! "  said  he, 
fervently,  as  he  completed  the  flourish  beneath 
the  signature. 

"  Amen ! "  ejaculated  Mrs.  Greenough.  "  May 
you  be  as  faithful  as  he  was  whose  name  is  on 
the  paper  with  you." 

"  Stimulated  by  his  example,  and  by  your 
kindness,  I  trust  I  shall  be,"  said  my  father. 

Mrs.  Greenough  then  provided  a  light  supper 
for  him,  of  which  he  partook,  and  very  soon 
retired.  I  told  my  kind  landlady  that  I  had 
recovered  my  money,  and  should  now  be  able 
to  pay  my  father's  board  for  a  time.  She  had 
13 


194  PLANE  AND  PLANK,   OB 

not  thought  of  that  matter,  and  would  be  glad 
to  take  care  of  him  for  nothing  if  she  could  only 
save  him.  As  I  went  to  bed  I  could  not  but  con- 
gratulate myself  upon  finding  such  a  kind  and 
devoted  friend  as  she  had  proved  to  be. 


THE  MISHAPS   OF  A  MECHANIC.  195 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

IN  WHICH   PHIL   MEETS   THE   LAST   OP   THE   KOCK- 
WOODS. 

THE  next  day  my  father  was  quite  sick; 
but  Mrs.  Greenough  was  an  angel  at  Lis 
bedside,  and  I  went  to  my  work  as  usual.  I 
was  filled  with  hope  that  the  wanderer  might 
yet  be  reclaimed.  Though  I  longed  intensely 
to  see  my  mother,  I  think  if  I  had  known  she 
was  in  the  city  I  should  not  have  sought  to 
find  her,  for  I  desired  to  carry  to  her  the  joy- 
ful news  of  the  salvation  of  my  father.  "When  I 
could  say  that  he  was  no  longer  a  drunkard,  I 
should  be  glad  to  meet  her  with  this  intelli- 
gence upon  my  lips.  But  she  was  wandering  in 
distant  lands.  Plenty  and  luxury  surrounded  her, 
while  I  was  struggling  to  earn  my  daily  bread, 
and  to  take  care  of  my  father.  The  fact  that 
she  was   in  affluence  was  consoling  to  me,  and 


196  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

I  was  the  more  willing  to  cling  to  my  father 
in  his   infirmities. 

When  I  went  to  work  that  morning  I  was 
introduced  to  a  plane  and  a  plank  —  to  test 
my  ability,  I  supposed,  for  the  men  had  not 
yet  finished  shingling  the  roof.  A  plank  par- 
tition was  to  be  put  up  in  order  to  make  a 
counting-room  in  one  corner  of  the  store- 
house. I  had  never  in  my  life  seen  a  plane 
till  I  came  to '  St.  Louis ;  but  I  had  carefully 
observed  the  instrument  and  its  uses..  Conant 
told  me  how  to  handle  it  with  ease  and  effect, 
and  instructed  me  in  setting  the  iron,  so  as  to 
make  it  cut  more  or  less  deeply,  according  to 
the  work  to  be  done. 

It  was  hard  work,  harder  than  boarding  or 
shingling ;  but  I  made  it  unnecessarily  severe 
for  the  first  hour,  and  though  it  was  a  cool 
day,  the  sweat  poured  off  me  in  big  drops.  I 
had  not  yet  got  the  hang  of  the  thing;  but 
when  Conant  came  from  the  roof  for  a  bundle 
of  shingles,  he  looked  in  to  see  how  I  succeed- 
ed. A  little  more  instruction  from  him  put 
me  on  the  right  track,  and  I  worked  much 
easier;  in  a  word,  I  learned   to  use   the   plane. 


THE  MISHAPS   OP   A    MECHANIC.  197 

After  removing  the  rough  side  from  the  plank, 
it  was  a  relief  to  handle  the  smoothing-plane, 
and  I  polished  oiF  the  wood  to  my  own  satis- 
faction and  that  of  my  employer. 

In  the  afternoon  I  was  sent  upon  the  roof 
again  to  lay  shingles,  and  we  finished  that 
part  of  the  job  before  night.  At  six  o'clock 
all  the  hands  were  paid  off  for  their  week's 
work.  I  felt  considerable  interest  in  this  per- 
formance. I  had  worked  three  days,  and  at  the 
price  agreed  upon  I  was  entitled  to  a  dollar 
and  a  half. 

"  I  shall  not  want  you  any  longer,  Blair,"  said 
Mr.  Clinch  to  the  young  fellow  of  whom  Conant 
had  spoken  so  disparagingly  to  me.  "  1  owe  you 
six  dollars ;  here  is  the  amount." 

"  You  don't  want  me  any  longer  ? "  replied 
Blair,  as  he  took  his  wages. 

"  No." 

"Why  not?" 

"  You  don't  suit  me.  I  can't  afford  to  pay 
you  six  dollars  a  week  for  what  you  do,"  an- 
swered the  employer,  bluntly.  "  You  don't  un- 
derstand   the    business,   and    you    don't    try   to 


198  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OE 

learn  it.  That  boy  there  does  twice  as  much 
work  in  a  day  as  you  do." 

I  did  not  think  it  right  to  hear  any  more  of 
this  conversation,  and  moved  away.  Though 
I  was  pleased  with  the  compliment,  I  was  sorry 
to  have  it  bestowed  upon  me  at  the  expense  or 
to  the  disparagement  of  another.  I  walked 
around  the  building,  but  I  was  soon  sent  for 
to  receive  my  wages. 

"  Phil,  you  have  done  remarkably  well,"  said 
Mr.  Clinch ;  "  and  I  want  to  use  you  well.  You 
handle  a  plane  well  for  one  who  never  saw 
one  before,  and  I  think  you  were  born  to  be 
a  carpenter." 

"  Thank  you,  sir,"  I  replied.  "  You  give  me 
all  the   credit  I  deserve." 

"  And  I  give  you  a  dollar  a  day  for  your 
work,  for  you  have  done  twice  as  much  as  I 
expected  of  you,"  he  added,  handing  me  three 
dollars.  "I  supposed  jon  would  be  in  the  way 
at  first,  and  I  only  took  you  to  oblige  Captain 
Davis." 

"I  have  done  the  best  I  knew  how,  and 
shall  always  do  so;  but   I   don't  ask  any   more 


THE   MISHAPS   OF  A   MECHANIC.  199 

than  you  agreed  to  give  me.  I  am  entitled  to 
only  half  of  this." 

"  Yes,  you  are.  I  agreed  to  give  you  more  if 
you  were  worth  it.  Conant  says  you  have  done 
a  man's  work  most  of  the  time.  Of  course  you 
can't  do  that  on  the  average.  But  you  will  be 
worth  about  a  dollar  a  clay  to  me,  now  that  I 
have  discharged  Morgan  Blair." 

"  Thank  you,  sir ;  you  are  very  kind." 

"  Kind !  Nonsense !  I  am  only  doing  the 
fair  thing  by  you.  When  I  think  you  are  worth 
more  than  a  dollar  a  day,  I  shall  give  it  to  you, 
On  the  other  hand,  I  shall  discharge  you  when 
I  don't  want  you,  or  Avhen  you  are  lazy  or 
clumsy.     I  always  speak  my  mind." 

I  saw  that  he  did,  to  Blair  as  well  as  to  me, 
and  I  was  very  thankful  for  having  obtained 
so  good  an  employer.  I  was  determined  to 
merit  his  good  will  by  doing  my  duty  faithfully 
to  him. 

I  went  home,  and  found  my  father  more  com- 
fortable than  in  the  morning ;  but  he  was  still 
very  sick,  and  unable  to  leave  his  bed.  In  the 
evening  1  went  out  to  purchase  a  suit  of  clothes, 
which  I  so  much  needed.     I  obtained  a  complete 


200  PLANE   AND   PLANK,    OR 

outfit,  which  would  enable  me  to  attend  church 
the  next  day,  looking  like  other  young  men  of 
my  age,  in  the  humbler  walks  of  life.  Mrs. 
Greenough  had  been  very  particular  in  urging 
me  to  be  prepared  for  church  and  Sunday  school, 
and  had  even  offered  to  lend  me  money  to  pur- 
chase the  needed  articles.  I  told  her  I  had 
never  been  to  church  in  my  life,  and  I  was 
very  glad  of  the  opportunity. 

When  my  bundle  was  ready  I  turned  to  leave 
the  store.  A  young  man,  whose  form  and  dress 
looked  familiar  to  me,  —  though  I  did  not  see 
his  face,  for  he  was  looking  at  the  goods  in  a 
glass   case,  —  followed  me  into  the  street. 

"  Phil,"  said  he ;  and  I  recognized  the  voice  of 
Morgan  Blair,  the  young  man  who  had  been  dis- 
charged that  afternoon  by   Mr.   Clinch. 

I  paused  to  see  what  he  wanted,  though  I 
was  not  very  anxious  to  make  his  acquaintance 
after  what  I  knew  of  him. 

"  What   is  it?"  I  asked. 

"  I  want  to  see  you  about  a  matter  that  in- 
terests me,"  he   added. 

"What  is  that?" 


THE   MISHAPS   OF  A  MECHANIC.  201 

11  They  say  you  came  from  way  up  the  Mis- 
souri River.     Is  that  so  ?  " 

"That's  so." 

"  Conant  said  you  did.  I  want  to  know  some- 
thing about  the  country  up  there,  and  I  suppose 
you  can  tell  me." 

"  What  do  you  want  to  know  ?  " 

"I  have  an  uncle  up  there  somewhere,  and  I 
want  to  find  him  if  I  can." 

"  Do  you  know  in  what  region  he  is  locat- 
ed?" I  inquired. 

"  I  do  not ;  that  is  what  I  want  to  ascertain. 
Conant  told  me  you  came  from  that  country, 
and  I  meant  to  talk  with  you  about  it ;  but  you 
put  my  pipe  out,  and  I  was  discharged  to-day. 
I  saw  you  go  into  that  store,  and  I  thought  I 
would  wait  for  you." 

"What  do  you  mean  by  putting  your  pipe 
out?" 

"Didn't  you  put  my  pipe  out?" 

"I  didn't  even  know  that  you  smoked." 

"  You  are  rather  green,  but  you  have  just 
come  from  the  country.  I  meant  that  you  caused 
me  to  be  discharged," 

"I  did?" 


202  PLANE   AND  PLANK,  OR 

"  You  heard  Clinch  say  that  I  did  not  do  half 
as  much  work  as  you  did?" 

"  Yes  j  I  heard  that  5  but  it  was  not  my 
fault." 

"  I  didn't  do  any  more  than  I  could  help, 
and  you  put  in  all  you  knew  how.  If  3tou 
hadn't  come,  Clinch  never  would  have  suspected 
that  I  wasn't  doing  enough  for  a  boy.  I  don't 
believe  in  breaking  your  back  for  six  dollars  a 
week.  But  never  mind  that  now.  When  can 
I  see  you  and  talk  over  this  other  matter  with 
you?" 

"I  can  tell  you  now  all  I  know,"  I  replied. 

"  I  think  I  shall  go  up  the  Missouri,  if  I 
have  any  chance  of  finding  my  uncle." 

"  You  can't  go  up  this  season.  No  steamers 
leave  so  late  as  this.  When  did  jou  see  your 
uncle?" 

"  I  never  saw  him,  and  I  shouldn't  know  him 
if  I  met  him  to-night.  He  has  been  up  in  the 
woods  for  twenty  years,  I  believe." 

"  What  is  his  name  ?  " 

"  Rockwood." 

"  Rockwood ! "  I  exclaimed,  startled  by  his 
answer. 


THE  MISHAPS   OF  A  MECHANIC.  203 

"Yes;  my  mother  was  his  sister." 

"  What  was  his  other   name  ? " 

"  Matthew.  He  left  Illinois  before  I  was 
born;  but  my  mother  heard  from  him  about 
ten  years  ago.  Somebody  —  I  don't  know  who 
it  was  —  saw  him  at  a  wood-yard,  and  he  sent 
word  by  this  person  that  he  was  alive  and 
well,  but  did  not  think  he  should  ever  come 
back  to  Illinois.  His  name  was  Matthew  Hock- 
wood.     Did  you  ever  hear  of  such  a  man  ?  " 

"I  have,  and  I  knew  him  well." 

"  You  don't  say  so  ! "  replied  he,  astonished 
in  his  turn.     "  Where  is  the  place  ?  " 

"  On  the  Missouri,  between  Bear  and  Fish 
Creeks." 

"  Well,  I  don't  know  any  better  now  than  I 
did  before.     What  was  the   old  man  doing?" 

"He  has  been  hunting,  trapping,  and  selling 
wood ;  but  he  is  not  living   now." 

"Dead  — is  he?" 

"Yes;  he  died  last  spring." 

"You   don't  say  it!" 

"There  was  some  trouble  with  the  Indians 
in  that  region,  and  he  was  shot  in  a  skirmish 
with  them." 


204  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

"  The  last  of  them  is  gone,  then/'  added 
Blair. 

"Matt  Rockwood  had  a  brother  —  did  he 
not?" 

"He  did  have  —  but  he  is  dead;  and  my 
mother  died  two  years  ago.  And  so  uncle  Matt 
is  dead  too?" 

"  Yes." 

"  The  man  that  told  my  mother  about  him 
thought  he  must  be  making  money  out  there, 
for  he  sold  a  great  deal  of  wood  to  the  steam- 
ers.    Do  you  know  anything  about  it?" 

"I  know  all   about  it." 

"  You   lived   near  him,  then  ?  " 

"  I  lived  with  him.  To  tell  the  whole  story 
in  a  few  words,  I  was  brought  up  by  Matt 
Rockwood,  and  I  was  at  his  side  when  he  was 
killed  by  the  Indians.  But  here  is  my  board- 
ing-house, and  I  don't  care  about  going  any 
farther." 

"  But  I  want  to  know  more  about  my  uncle." 

"  Come  in,  then." 

I  conducted  him  up  stairs  to  Mrs.  Green- 
ough's  kitchen;  and,  after  ascertaining  that  my 


THE  MISHAPS   OP   A  MECHANIC.  205 

father  was  still  very  comfortable,  I  seated  myself 
with  Morgan   Blair. 

"  It  is  a  little  odd  that  I  should  stumble  upon 
you/'  said  he. 

"  Rather,"  I  replied ;  and  it  seemed  to  be  an- 
other of  my  mishaps,  for  in  him  had  appeared 
an  heir  to  Matt  Rockwood's  little  property,  which 
had  come  into  my  possession. 

I  told  him  all  about  his  uncle ;  how  he  had 
lived  and  how  he  had  died. 

"  Did  he  have  any  property  ? "   asked  Blair. 

"Why  do  you  ask?" 

"  Why  do  I  ask  ?  Well,  that's  a  good  one  ! 
My  father  and  mother  are  both  dead,  and  I  sup- 
pose I  am  the  last  of  the  Rockwoods.  I  am 
now  out  of  business,  with  less  than  ten  dollars 
in  the  world ;  and  why  do  I  ask  whether  my 
uncle  had  any  property  ?  " 

"  He  had  his  farm  —  a  quarter  section  of  land," 
I  added. 

"How  much  is  it  worth?" 

"  Perhaps  it  is  worth  as  much  as  it  would 
cost  you   to  go  up  there  and  back." 

"  That's   hopeful." 

"There    were    a   couple    of   horses,   a   lot   of 


206  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OB 

hogs,   a  log    house    and   barn,   and   the   farming 
tools." 

"  "Well,  what  are  they  worth  ?  w 
"  They    are    worth    considerable    to    a   person 
who  wishes  to  live  up  there." 

"  But  I  don't  wish  to  live  up  there." 
"  Then  they  are  worth  whatever  you  can  sell 
them  for.  Kit  Cruncher  has  the  farm ;  but  I 
think  you  will  find  that  squatter  sovereignty 
prevails  up  there ;  and  a  man  in  possession,  with- 
out any  claim,  is  better  off  than  a  man  with  a 
title,  but  not  in  possession." 

"  Then  I   have  no  chance,  you  think  ? " 
"  On  the   contrary,  I  know  that  Kit  Cruncher 
is  an  honest  man,  and  if  you  prove  your  claim, 
he    will   either   pay    you   the    fair    value    of  the 
place,  or  give  it  up  to  you." 

"  But  didn't  my  uncle    have  any  money  ? " 
"  Yes ;  he  left  about  nine   hundred  dollars   in 
gold,"  I  replied. 
"  Whew ! "  exclaimed  Blair,  opening  his  eyes. 


THE  MISHAPS  OP  A  MECHANIC.  207 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

IN  WHICH  PHIL  CALLS  UPON  MR.   LAMAR,  AND 
DOES  NOT   FIND   HIM. 

I  HAD  heard  nothing  from  Mr.  Grace  wood 
since  my  arrival  in  St.  Louis.  He  had  in  his 
possession  all  the  moneyed  property  which  had 
come  to  me  from  the  estate  of  Matt  Rockwood. 
I  had  placed  no  little  dependence  upon  the 
fifteen  hundred  in  gold,  which  I  regarded  as 
my  inheritance ;  and  now  an  heir  appeared,  who 
certainly  had  a  better  legal  claim  than  I  had. 

"  Nine  hundred  dollars  ! "  exclaimed  Morgan 
Blair  again,  and  with  as  much  satisfaction  as 
though  this  large  sum  was  already  in  his  own 
hands. 

k  "  And  after  his  death  Ave  sold  off  wood  and 
produce  enough  to  amount  to  over  seven  hun- 
dred dollars  more." 

"  Better   and  better,"   added  Blair.      "  Go   on, 


208  PLANE   AND    PLANK,   OR 

Phil;  perhaps  you  can  make  it  up  to  two 
thousand." 

"  I  can't  very  easily  make  it  any  more,"  I 
replied. 

"  Well,  I'm  satisfied  as  it  is.  Now,  can  you 
tell  me  where  this  money  is  ?  " 

"  A  friend  of  mine  has  fifteen  hundred  dollars 
in  gold,  and  I  have  his  note  for  it." 

"  Exactly  so ;  and  perhaps  you  won't  object 
to  handing  the  note  over  to  me,  and  telling  me 
where  I  can  find  your  friend." 

"  I  must  say  that  I  do  object." 

"You  do?" 

"Certainly  I  do." 

"  But  I  am  the  last  of  the  Rockwoods.  Don't 
you  think  I  look  like  my  uncle  Matt?" 

"I  don't  see  it." 

"  Nor  I ;  but  my  mother  said  I  did.  Be  that 
as  it  may,  you  must  see  that  this  money  belongs 
to  me,  and  not  to  you." 

"  I  don't  even  see  that." 

"  Don't  be  mean  about  it,  Phil." 

"  I  don't  intend  to  be.  I  have  told  you  the 
whole  truth,  and  now  I  don't  care  about  talking 
any  more  on  the  subject." 


THE  MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  209 

"That's  rather  cool.  You  have  my  money, 
and  you  won't  give  it  to  me." 

"  Certainly  not ;  I  don't  know  anything  about 
you.  1  never  even  heard  old  Matt  say  he  had 
a  sister." 

"  That's  nothing  to  do  with  me.  He  did  have 
one,  and  I  am  her  son." 

"  It's  no  use  to  say  anything  more  about  it. 
When  Mr.  Gracewood,  who  has  the  money,  arrives, 
I  will  speak  to  him  about  it." 

"But  I  can't  wait." 

"  You  must  wait." 

"  Couldn't  you  let  me  have  a  little  of  it  ?  "  per- 
sisted he. 

"  No,  I  could  not.  You  haven't  proved  your 
claim  yet." 

"I  will  prove  it." 

"  When  you  have  done  so,  the  money  shall  be 
paid." 

"But  I  must  go  to  Vandalia  to  obtain  the 
proof;  and  I  haven't  money  enough  to  pay  my 
expenses." 

"I  can't  help  that." 

"Haven't  you  any  money?" 
14 


210  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

"  I  have,  and  I  intend  to  keep  it  for  my  own 
use." 

"  But  the  money  is  mine.  I  am  the  last  of  the 
Rockwoods.  1  know  you  have  nearly  a  hun- 
dred dollars ;  or  you  had  before  you  went  into 
that  shop.  That  money  is  mine,  and  when  you 
spend  a  dollar  of  it  you  steal  it.  That's  what's 
the  matter." 

"I  think  you  have  said  enough  about  it,  and 
we  will  end  up  the  matter  here,"  I  replied,  dis- 
gusted with  his  impudence,  and  wondering  how 
he  knew  that  I  had  nearly  a  hundred  dollars. 

I  refused  to  say  anything  more,  and  he  threat- 
ened me  with  the  terrors  of  the  law,  and  even 
with  his  individual  vengeance.  He  teased  me  to 
let  him  have  fifty  dollars  on  account,  and  de- 
clared he  would  have  me  arrested  if  I  did  not 
comply.  Finally  I  put  on  my  cap,  and  he  fol- 
lowed me  into  the  street,  for  I  found  I  could  get 
rid  of  him  in  no  other  way.  As  soon  as  he  was 
outside  of  the  door,  I  made  a  flank  movement  upon 
him,  and  returned  to  the  house,  shutting  him 
out  as  I  entered.  He  did  not  trouble  me  any 
more  that  night,  but  I  expected  to  see  him 
again  soon. 


THE  MISHAPS   OF  A  MECHANIC.  211 

I  was  inclined  to  believe  that  he  was  what  ho 
represented  himself  to  be,  for  I  did  not  see  how 
he  could  know  anything  about  Matt  Rockwood.  It 
was  very  singular  that  he  had  stumbled  upon  me 
so  blindly,  and  I  regarded  my  fortune  as  already 
lost.  I  was  sorry  that  Matt's  heir  had  appeared, 
for  I  had  considered  how  convenient  this  large 
sum  of  money  would  be  when  I  began  to  look  for 
my  mother.  I  had  thought,  as  soon  as  my 
father's  reformation  was  in  a  measure  assured, 
of  going  to  Chicago  to  see  my  grandfather,  Mr. 
Collingsby.  My  wages,  even  at  six  dollars  a 
week,  would  no  more  than  pay  my  father's  and 
my  own  board.  Birt  I  was  fully  determined  to 
be  honest ;  and,  if  the  fifteen  hundred  dollars 
belonged  to  Morgan  Blair,  he  should  have  it, 
as  soon  as  he  satisfied  me  that  he  was  the  "  last 
of  the  Rockwoods,"  even  without  any  legal  forms. 
The  next  day  my  father  was  a  little  better,  and 
sat  up  a  portion  of  the  time.  Mrs.  Greenough 
nursed  him  most  tenderly,  and  insisted  that  I 
should  go  to  Sunday  school  and  to  church  in  the 
forenoon.  I  dressed  myself  in  my  new  clothes, 
and  when  my  father  saw  me  he  smiled,  and 
seemed  to  be  proud  of  his  boy.     I  went  to  Sun- 


212  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

day  school  at  the  church  which  my  landlady 
attended ;  and  I  realized  all  my  pleasant  an- 
ticipations of  the  occasion.  I  was  put  into  a 
class  of  boys  of  my  own  age,  and  listened  at- 
tentively to  the  instructions  of  my  teacher,  who, 
I  afterwards  learned  to  my  surprise,  was  one 
of  the  wealthiest  merchants  in  the  city,  though 
he  was  very  plain  in  his  manners  and  in  his 
dress. 

What  was  so  new  and  strange,  and  withal  so 
exceedingly  pleasant  to  me,  is  familiar  to  all  my 
readers,  and  I  need  not  describe  it.  Mr.  Phillips, 
my  teacher,  had  an  attentive  scholar  in  me,  and  im- 
mediately took  an  interest  in  me.  He  promised 
to  call  and  see  me  some  evening,  and  presented 
me  a  class  book  for  use  in  the  school  and  at  home. 
I  was  astonished  at  his  kindness  and  condescen- 
sion, when  Mrs.  Greenough  told  me  who  and  what 
he  was.  The  services  in  the  church  were  not 
less  novel  and  interesting  to  me ;  and  I  am  sure 
that  I  was  deeply  impressed  by  the  prayers,  the 
singing,  and  the  sermon.  In  the  afternoon  I  staid 
at  home  with  my  father,  and  Mrs.  Greenough 
went  to  church.  I  read  the  Bible  and  the 
library  book  I  had  obtained  at  the  Sunday  school 


THE  MISHAPS   OF   A  MECHANIC.  213 

to  him,  and  he  was  as  much  interested  as  I  was. 
In  the  evening  I  went  to  the  prayer-meeting; 
and  when  I  retired  I  felt  more  like  being  good 
and  true  than  ever  before. 

On  Monday  I  was  at  the  plane  and  plank 
again,  and  when  night  came  I  was  never  so 
tired  in  my  life,  not  even  when  I  had  tramped 
through  the  woods  for  a  day  and  a  night.  I 
did  not  go  out;  but  Mr.  Lamar  and  Mr.  Gray 
called  to  inquire  for  my  father.  As  I  had  told 
them  all  about  my  relations  with  Matt  Eock- 
wood,  and  that  I  had  the  money  he  had  left,  I 
ventured  to  ask  their  advice  in  regard  to  the 
claimant  who  had  appeared  in  the  person  of 
Morgan  Blair. 

"  Don't  pay  him  a  dollar,"  said  Mr.  Lamar, 
who  was  a  very  prudent  man,  as  I  had  learned 
before. 

"I  have  no  doubt  he  is  the  nephew  of  Matt 
Rockwood,"  I  .replied. 

"  If  he  is,  he  must  prove  his  claim.  Do  noth- 
ing, Phil,  without  the  advice  of  your  friends, 
especially  Mr.  Gracewood." 

"  As  he  has  the  money,  I  shall  not  be  likely 
to  do  anything."   . 


214  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

"The  fellow  may  be  an  impostor,"  suggested 
Mr.  Gray. 

11 1  think  that  is  impossible.  He  came  to  me 
simply  to  inquire  about  the  country  on  the  upper 
Missouri,  and  said  he  had  an  uncle  up  there. 
Then  he  gave  me  the  name  of  Matthew  Rock- 
wood.  If  he  were  an  impostor,  he  could  not 
have  done  that." 

"  Perhaps  it  is  all  right  as  you  say ;  but  don't 
pay  him  anything  till  we  have  the  evidence," 
added  Mr.  Lamar. 

My  friends  left  me,  and  the  door  had  hardly 
closed  behind  them  before  Morgan  Blair  called 
to  see  me.  He  pressed  me  to  let  him  have 
fifty  dollars  to  enable  him  to  go  to  Yandalia; 
but  I  continued  to  refuse,  and  as  before  he 
waxed  angry  and  threatened  me. 

"It's  no  use,  Blair.  I  shall  not  let  you  have 
a  dollar.  I  have  consulted  Mr.  Lamar  and  Mr. 
Gray,  and  I  act  under  their  advice.  If  you  want 
to  do  anything  about  it,  go  and  see  them." 

"I  don't  know  them,  and  don't  want  to  know 
them.  My  business  is  with  you,  and  I  will  fol- 
low you  till  you  give  me  that  money.  It  belongs 
to  me,  and  I  ought  to  have  it." 


THE  MISHAPS   OP   A   MECHANIC.  215 

"  You  can  do  as  you  think  best ;  but  following 
me  won't  do  any  good.  If  you  will  wait  till 
Mr.  Gracewood  comes,  he  will  be  able  to  settle 
the  question.  He  was  with  us  when  your  uncle 
was  killed.  Perhaps  Matt  spoke  to  him  about 
his  sister." 

"  Do  you  doubt  my  word  ?  " 

"  No ;  but  if  I  should  pay  this  money  to  you, 
Matt's  brother  might  come  after  it." 

"I  tell  you  he  is  dead." 

"  That  must  be  proved." 

"  I  suppose  I  shall  have  to  prove  that  I'm  not 
dead  myself,  by  and  by." 

"If  you  can  prove  the  rest  as  easily  as  you 
can  prove  that,  you  will  be  all  right.  When  I 
hear  from  Mr.  Gracewood  I  will  let  you  know." 

"  I  can't  wait." 

"Very  well;  then  go  to  work  at  once  in  the 
right  way." 

"What's  that?" 

"  Go  to  the  territory  where  your  uncle  lived 
and  died,  have  an  administrator  appointed,  and 
ho  can  legally  claim  the  effects  of  Matt  Rock- 
wood,"  I  replied,  rehearsing  the  information  im- 
parted to  me  by  Mr.  Lamar. 


216  PLANE  AND  PLANK,  OR 

"I  can't  go  up  there." 

"  Go  to  a  lawyer,  then,  and  he  will  advise  you 
what  to  do." 

"  I  haven't  any  money  to  pay  a  lawyer.  I 
haven't  a  dollar  left.     I  lost  nearly  all  I  had." 

"Lost  it?    Where?" 

"At  Forstellar's,"  he  replied. 

"Gambling?" 

"Well,  I  played  a  little.  I  wanted  to  make 
a  little  money  somehow." 

"  But  you  didn't  make  any  ?  " 

"  Made  it  out  of  pocket." 

"  I  should  go  to  work  if  I  were  you." 

His  confession  gave  me  a  neAv  revelation  in 
regard  to  his  character,  and  I  was  the  more 
determined  not  to  let  him  have  a  dollar.  He 
pleaded,  begged,  and  threatened;  but  I  was 
firm,  and  he  left  me. 

When  I  came  home  to  dinner  the  next  day, 
I  found  a  letter  from  Mr.  Gracewood  in  reply 
to  mine.  With  trembling  hands  I  opened  it. 
The  writer  began  by  saying  that  he  was  very 
glad  to  hear  from  me,  and  that  he  had  wor- 
ried a  great  deal  about  me.  Mrs.  Gracewood 
had    been  very   sick,  but  was    now   slowly   im- 


dc     \ 


THE  MISHAPS  OP  A  MECHANIC.  217 

proving.  He  did  not  think  he  should  be  able 
to  leave  for  St.  Louis  for  two  or  three  weeks. 
Ella  was  well,  and  sent  her  regards  to  me. 
This  was  favorable  news,  and  I  was  very 
much  rejoiced  to  receive  the  letter.  I  wrote 
immediately,  giving  him  a  full  account  of  what 
had  happened  to  me  since  we  parted,  and  sent 
the  letter  by  the  next  mail. 

My  father  improved  very  slowly,  but  I  was 
not  sure  that  his  illness  was  not  a  blessing  to 
him,  for  he  was  unable  to  go  out  of  the  house, 
and  the  process  of  weaning  him  from  whiskey 
was  thus  assisted  very  materially.  On  Satur- 
day night,  after  I  had  been  paid  off,  I  found  a 
letter  at  the  house.  I  opened  it,  and  looked 
first  at  the  signature,  which  was  Pierre  Lamar. 
He  wrote  that  he  wished  to  see  me  about  the 
money  matter  of  which  I  had  spoken  to  him, 
and  desired  me  to  call  at  a  place  in  Fourth 
Street  which  he  designated.  In  a  postscript  he 
requested  me  to  bring  the  note  which  Mr.  Grace- 
wood  had  given  for  the  money. 

After  supper,  with  the  note  in  my  pocket,  I 
hastened  to  the  place  indicated.  It  appeared 
to  be  a   dwelling-house,  and  I  rang  the  bell  at 


218  PLANE   AND   PLANK,  OR 

the  front  door,  which  was  presently  opened 
by  a  man  in  a  white  jacket.  I  asked  for  Mr. 
Lamar,  and  was  assured  that  he  was  in  his 
room.  I  was  conducted  up  three  flights  of 
stairs,  and  the  man  knocked  at  a  door.  I 
thought  Mr.  Lamar  ought  to  be  able  to  afford 
better  accommodations  for  himself;  but  the  door 
opened,  and  I  entered  the  room. 

1  looked  for  my  friend ;  but  instead  of  him, 
I  saw  only  Mr.  Leonidas  Lynchpinne  and  Mor- 
gan Blair. 


THE  MISHAPS   OF  A  MECHANIC.  219 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

IN  WHICH   PHIL   FINDS   HIMSELF   A   PRISONER   IN   THE 
GAMBLERS'   ROOM. 

WAS  not  suspicious ;  I  had  no  idea  that 
any  one  intended  to  wrong  me.  I  was 
even  willing  to  believe  that  Morgan  Blair  was 
sincere,  and  really  thought  that  I  ought  to  ad- 
vance him  money  from  the  estate  of  his  uncle, 
even  before  he  had  proved  his  claim.  Afterv 
all,  it  is  pleasant  to  believe  that  no  one  in- 
tends to  injure  you ;  it  is  even  better  to  be 
occasionally  deceived  than  to  be  always  sus- 
picious. 

I  went  up  the  stairs  in  the  house  to  which 
the  note  from  Mr.  Lamar  had  given  me  the 
address  without  a  suspicion  that  anything  was, 
or  could  be,  wrong.  I  had  never  before  seen 
the  handwriting  of  my  correspondent,  and  had 
no  reason  to  suppose  that  the  note  was  a  fraud 


220  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

upon  me.  Though  I  had  had  a  sharp  experi- 
ence of  the  villany  of  men  since  I  came  from 
my  home  in  the  wilderness,  I  was  still  a  child 
in  the  ways  of  the   great  world. 

I  entered  the  room  to  which  I  had  been  con- 
ducted by  the  man  in  a  white  jacket,  and 
the  door  was  instantly  closed  behind  me  and 
locked.  The  apartment  was  an  attic  chamber, 
on  the  fourth  floor  of  the  house,  and  contained 
the  ordinary  furniture  of  a  bedroom.  Mr. 
Leonidas  Lynchpinne,  otherwise  Lynch,  sat  in 
a  rocking-chair,  smoking  a  cigar.  Blair  had 
slipped  in  behind  me  when  I  entered  in 
order  to  secure  the  door ;  and  having  done 
this,  he  took  a  chair  near  the  blackleg.  On  a 
small  table,  over  which  hung  the  gas-light, 
was  a  silver  box,  such  as  I  had  seen  in  the 
hands  of  Redwood  at  Leavenworth.  It  con- 
tained a  pack  of  cards,  and  another  lay  upon 
the  table.  There  was  also  a  dice-box,  and 
some  other  gambling  implements,  of  which  I 
do  not  even  know  the  names.  I  concluded, 
from  the  position  of  the  parties  and  the  arti- 
cles   on   the   table    between    them,    that    Lynch 


THE  MISHAPS  OF  A  MECHANIC.  221 

had  been  giving  the  young  man  a  lesson  in  the 
art  of  winning  money. 

"How  are  you,  Phil  Farringford  ? "  said 
Lynch,  with  a  sort  of  triumphant  smile,  which 
indicated  the  pleasure  he  felt  at  the  success  of 
his  trick. 

"How  are  you,  Mr.  Leonidas  Lynchpinne?" 
I  replied,  cheerfully ;  for  I  felt  it  to  be  my  duty 
to  demonstrate  that  I  was  not  alarmed  at  my 
situation. 

The  demonstration  was  not  a  feint,  either. 
I  felt  an  utter  contempt  for  Lynch,  and,  now 
that  I  realized  his  rascality,  for  Morgan  Blair. 
I  had  fought  the  savage  Indians  in  the  forest, 
which  had  developed  my  courage,  if  nothing 
more.  I  glanced  around  the  room,  and  saw 
at  the  grate  an  iron  poker,  with  which  I 
thought  I  might  neutralize  the  odds  against 
me,  in  case  the  interview  resulted  in  anything 
more  dangerous  to  life  and  health  than  mere 
words.  The  letter,  in  its  postscript,  as  though 
it*  had  been  an  afterthought,  requested  me  to 
bring  Mr.  Gracewood's  note.  Blair  had  asked 
me  to  give  it  up  to  him.  I  was  inclined  to 
think   that   the    parties    before   me   wanted  this 


222  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

note,  though  I  could  not  imagine  what  earthly 
use  it  could  be  to  them. 

"You  need  not  call  me  by  that  name  any 
longer,"  added  Lynch,  biting  his  lip,  and  evi- 
dently vexed  to  find  that  I  was  not  intimidated 
by  my  situation. 

"  As  you  gave  me  the  name  of  Leonidas  Lynch- 
pinne,  I  shall  consult  my  own  inclination,  rather 
than  yours,  in  the  use  of  it." 

"  You  will  change  your  tune  before  you  are 
an  hour  older,  Phil." 

"  If  I  do  I  shall  take  the  pitch  from  you." 

"  You  are  here  at  my  summons,  my  lad." 

"  I  see  now  that  I  am ;  brought  here  by  a 
lie  and  a  swindle,  which  seem  be  your  stock 
in  trade." 

"Don't  be  impudent,  Phil." 

"If  you  speak  to  me  like  a  gentleman,  I  will 
answer  you  in  the  same  way.  You  need  not 
put  on  airs." 

"  I  have  business  with  you,  Phil." 

"  I  have  no  business  with  you ;  and  I  respect- 
fully decline  having  anything  whatever  to  do 
with  you." 

"  Your  declination  is  not  accepted.     I  want  to 


THE  MISHAPS   OF  A  MECHANIC.  223 

tell  you  that  I  never  forget  a  friend  or  forgive 
an  enemy." 

"I  have  fought  Indians  before,  and  though  I 
don't  like  the  business,  I  can  do  it  again.'' 

"  Do  you  call  that  talking  like  a  gentleman, 
Phil?" 

"  No  gentleman  ever  utters  an  Indian  senti- 
ment." 

"  You  are  in  my  power,  Phil,  and  you  had 
better  come  down  from  that   high  horse." 

"I'm  not  in  your  power,  and  never  shall  be 
till  I  become  a  thief,  a  blackleg,  and  a  swin- 
dler," I  replied,  calmly,  as  I  glanced  at  Morgan 
Blair,  who,  I  thought,  was  completely  in  his 
power. 

"  What ! "  exclaimed  Lynch,  springing  to  his 
feet,  his  face  red  with  anger. 

I  fell  back  two  or  three  steps,  and  quietly 
took  up  the  poker,  which  rested  against  the 
bracket  at  the  side  of  the  grate. 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  with  that  ? "  de- 
manded he. 

"That  will  depend  upon  circumstances." 

"  Drop  that  poker  !  " 

"For   the   present  I   shall    regard    this   poker 


224  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

as  a  part  of  myself;  and  I  hope  you  will  so 
regard  it." 

" You  impudent  puppy  !  " 

"  Foul  words  are  cheap,  defiling  only  him 
who  utters  them,"  I  added,  quoting  a  sentence 
from  the  instructions  of  Mr.   Gracewood. 

"  I'm  not  to  be  trifled  with,  Phil,"  said  Lynch, 
taking  a  small  Derringer  pistol  from  his  pocket. 

"  That's  just  my  case,"  I  answered,  elevating 
the   poker. 

"  Look  here,  Lynch,"  interrupted  Morgan  Blair, 
rising  from  his  chair  in  evident  alarm,  "  if  you 
are  going  to  use  pistols  and  such  things,  I  won't 
have  anything  to  do  with  the  scrape." 

"  Shut  up,  Blair  ! "  replied  Lynch. 

"I  won't!" 

"  You  are  a  fool ! "  exclaimed  the  older  vil- 
lain, dropping  into  his  rocking-chair  with  an  ex- 
pression of  utter  disgust  upon  his  face. 

I  felt  that  I  was  fighting  my  battle  very  well 
indeed,  and  I  was  encouraged  in  the  course  I 
had  chosen. 

"  I  don't  want  any  shooting  where  I  am," 
said  Blair.     "I'm  willing   to  lick  him  within  an 


THE  MISHAPS   OP  A  MECHANIC.  225 

inch  of  his  life,  if  he  don't  play  fair,  but  I  don't 
want  him  shot." 

"I  don't  intend  to  shoot  him,  unless  he  at- 
tacks me  with  that  poker.  I  want  to  show  him 
that  two  can  play  at  his  game,"  added  Lynch, 
"  Will  you  drop  that  poker,  Phil  ? " 

"I  will   not," 

"If  you  undertake  to  use  it,  I  want  you  to 
understand  that  pistol  balls  travel  faster  than 
pokers." 

"  Very  true ;  and  if  you  are  satisfied  with 
your  pistol,  I  am  with  my  poker.  I  am  ready 
to  end  this  meeting  at  any  time." 

"  I  am  not  ready  to  end  it.  I  have  business 
with  you.     I  don't  forgive  an  enemy." 

"  I  do,  when  he  deserves  to  be  forgiven." 

u  None  of  your  cant !  I'm  not  going  to  a 
prayer-meeting  with  you  now." 

"  It  would  do  you  good  to  go  to  one ;  and  I 
know  of  no  one  who  needs  to  go  any  more 
than  you." 

"  If  you  can  hold  your  tongue  long  enough, 
we  will  proceed  to  business,  Phil." 

"  I  have  no  business  to  proceed  to ;  and  I'm 
15 


226  PLANE   AND   PLANK,    OR 

going  to  speak  as  I  feel  inclined/7  I  replied, 
resting   the  poker  in  a  chair  near  me. 

"  I  have  business  with  you,  if  you  have  not 
with  me.  As  I  told  you,  I  never  forgive  an 
enemy." 

"  As  I  told  you  before,  that  is  an  Indian  sen- 
timent." 

"  Will  you  hold  your  tongue  ?  " 

"No,   sir,  I  will  not." 

"  You  knocked  me  down  in  the  street,  and 
took   my  money  from  me." 

"  At  your  request  I  took  it ;  and  you  were  kind 
enough  to  pay  me  the  balance  in  my  favor 
when  we  parted  at  the  police  station,"  I  re- 
plied. 

"  You  must  give  me  back  that  money,  Phil." 

"  Not  if  I  know  it.  Let  me  remind  you  that 
the  money  belonged  to  me,  and  that  I  did  not 
charge  you  any  interest  upon  it  for  the  time 
you  had  it." 

"  The  money  wasn't  yours.  It  belonged  to 
Matt  Rockwood.  You  stole  it ;  and  I  intended 
to  get  all  I  could  for  my  friend  here,  Morgan 
Blair,  to  whom  all  of  it  belongs." 

"You    and    your    friend    seem    to    understand 


THE   MISHAPS   OP   A  MECHANIC.  227 

each  other  very  well,  except  so  far  as  tT,e  pis- 
tol is  concerned." 

"  I  act  for  him.  He  is  a  young  fellow,  and 
don't  know  much  about  the  ways  of  the  world." 

"He  appears   to  be  learning  very  rapidly." 

"  He  is  the  rightful  heir  of  the  man  up  the 
river,  whose  money  you  have.  I  expect  you  to 
give  it  up  to  him." 

"  And  I  expect  to  do  so  myself,  just  as  soon 
as  he  proves  the  claim.  Though  I  think  I 
have  a  better  right  to  the  money  than  he  has, 
I  will  give  it  up  whenever  he  satisfies  me  that 
he  is  the  nephew  of  Matt  Rockwood.  If  this 
is  your  business  with  me,  you  can't  get  ahead 
any  farther  with   it  to-night." 

"  Have  you  the  note  with  you  —  the  note  of 
Mr.  —     What's  his  name  ?  " 

"  Mr.   Gracewood,"  added   Blair. 

"I  respectfully  decline  to  answer,"  I  replied. 

"  But  you  must  give  it  up  before  you  leave 
this  house." 

"  Then  I  shall  stay  here  longer  than  you  will 
want  to  board  me." 

"  I  don't  intend  to  board  you,"  sneered  Lynch. 
"  You  will  neither  eat   nor   drink   till  you   give 


228  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

up  this  note,  and  the  hundred  dollars  you  got 
out  of  me  at  the   police   station." 

"  So  far  as  the  money  is  concerned,  I  spent 
a  part  of  it,  and  the  rest  I  left  at  my  boarding- 
house." 

"  You  can  give  me  an  order  on  your  land- 
lady for  what  you  have  left,  and  Blair  will  go  and 
get  it." 

"  I  will  not  give  him  that  trouble." 

"  You  prefer  to  stay  here  —  do  you  ?  " 

"I  do ;  this  isn't  a  bad  place  to  stay,  and  I 
can  stand  it  here  a  while." 

"  Consider  well  your  situation,  Phil.  This  is 
my  room.  I  board  here  when  I  am  in  town, 
and  —  " 

"  It's   good  enough  for  me,  if  it  is  for  you." 

"  It  is  a  gambling-house,  and  the  people  who 
live  here  are  my  friends.  I  can  bring  in  half 
a  dozen  men  to  help  me." 

"  Bring  them  in,"  I  replied,  laughing,  though 
I  confess   that  I  was  not  very  much  amused. 

"It's  no  joke." 

"  It  will  not  be  for  you  when  you  are  done 
with  it.     When  my  father  misses  me,  he  will  be 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  229 

very  likely  to  send  for  our  friends,  Mr.  Lamar 
and  Mr.  Gray." 

"  In  a  word,  Phil,  will  you  give  me  that 
note." 

"  In  a  word,  I  will  not ;  and  in  another  word, 
I  will  fight  just  as  long  as  I  have  a  breath 
in  my  body,  if  you  or  anybody  else  attempts 
to  meddle   with  me." 

"Phil,  you  go  to  prayer-meetings,  and  claim 
to  be  honest,"  continued  Lynch,  changing  his 
tone  when  he  found  that  he  did  not  terrify  me. 

"  I  do  go  to  prayer-meetings  when  I  can,  and 
I  try  to  be  honest." 

"  I  hope  you  will  keep  on  trying.  By  the 
merest  accident  Blair  stumbled  upon  you,  and 
turns  out  to  be  the  heir  of  the  man  whose 
money  you  have.  He  is  the  last  of  the  Rock- 
woods.  Do  you  think  it  is  honest  to  keep  him 
out  of  his  money  ?  " 

"I'm  not  so  sure  now  that  he  stumbled  upon 
me." 

"  Didn't  he  ask  you  something  about  the  upper 
Missouri,  and  tell  you  he  had  an  uncle  there? 
and  didn't  he  tell  you  the  name  of  his  uncle 
before  you  had  mentioned  it?" 


230  PLANE   AND   PLANK,    OR 

"  He  certainly  did ;  but  since  I  have  found 
out  what  company  he  keeps,  I  begin  to  think 
you  posted  him  up,  and  sent  him  to  stumble 
upon  me." 

"That's  absurd." 

"  Not  at  all.  Didn't  you  hear  me  tell  the 
whole  story  in  the  police  station,  Mr.  Leonidas 
Lynchpinne  ?  " 

"  I  never  saw  him  till  after  that,"  replied 
Lynch,  angrily,  as  he  picked  up  the  pistol,  which 
he  had  laid  upon  the  table.  "  It  is  useless 
to  reason  with  you.  Come,  Blair,  we  will  leave 
him  here   to  think  about  it  till  morning." 

The  villain  moved  towards  the  door,  point- 
ing his  pistol  at  me.  It  was  capped,  and  I 
supposed  it  was  loaded.  Blair  unlocked  the 
door,  and  retreated  into  the  entry.  Lynch  fol- 
lowed his  example,  and  as  it  was  possible  that 
he  might  fire  at  me,  I  did  not  deem  it  pru- 
dent to  be  the  aggressor.  I  heard  the  door  locked 
upon  me. 


THE  MISHAPS   OP   A  MECHANIC.  231 


CHAPTER  XX. 

IN  WHICH   PHIL   IS   STAKTLED   BY  THE  SIGHT   OP 
A   FAMILIAR   FACE. 

ACTUALLY  laughed  when  I  heard  the 
bolt  of  the  lock  snapped  upon  me;  partly 
because  I  thought  it  was  better  to  laugh  over 
my  mishaps  than  to  cry,  and  partly  because 
the  trick  of  which  I  had  been  made  the  victim 
was  simply  ridiculous.  Perhaps,  if  I  had  been 
a  boy  brought  up  in  the  city,  and  had  never 
been  thrown  upon  my  own  resources  in  times 
of  peril,  I  might  have  taken  a  different  view 
of  the  matter.  I  can  easily  believe  that  many 
boys  would  have  been  intimidated,  and  given 
up  the  money  and  the  note.  Lynch  ought  to 
have  known  me  better,  though  I  had  been  a 
lamb  at  Leavenworth. 

I    seated    myself    in    the    rocking-chair,    and 
looked  around  the  room.     There  was  a  luthern 


232  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

window  in  it,  which  opened  upon  the  roof.  A 
cheerful  coal  fire  burned  in  the  grate,  and  the 
room  was  quite  comfortable.  I  examined  the 
silver  card  box  on  the  table,  and  the  other 
articles  there ;  but  I  was  not  much  interested 
in  them,  and  soon  gave  myself  up  to  a  consid- 
eration of  the  situation.  Of  course  the  whole 
trick  was  intended  to  intimidate  me ;  but  I 
positively  refused  to  be  intimidated.  I  sup- 
posed my  persecutors  would  soon  return,  and 
renew  the  onslaught. 

For  my  own  part,  I  could  not  see  what  they 
intended  to  gain,  even  if  they  obtained  the 
note  against  Mr.  Gracewood.  It  was  stupid 
of  them  to  imagine  that  he  would  give  up  the 
money  to  total  strangers.  Still  they  must  have 
believed  he  would  let  them  have  the  gold, 
for  they  could  not  have  taken  all  this  trouble 
for  the  seventy  dollars  which  I  had.  But  it 
was  no  use  to  speculate  upon  their  intentions. 
The  note  was  safe  in  my  pocket,  and  the  money 
at  my  boarding-house.  If  I  had  supposed  there 
was  any  possibility  of  the  villains  obtaining  the 
former,  I  would  have  burned  it  on  the  spot, 
for  I  knew  that  Mr.   Gracewood  would  pay  the 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A  MECHANIC.  233 

money  whether   there   was   any   legal   document 
to  show  for  it  or  not. 

I  rose  from  my  chair,  and  walked  to  the 
door,  in  order  to  examine  it.  This  same  Lynch 
had  once  before  locked  me  into  a  room,  and 
it  was  possible  that  I  might  break  this  door 
open,  as  I  had  done  on  the  former  occasion. 
But  I  found  this  was  a  different  piece  of  work 
from  that  at  Leavenworth.  It  fitted  well  in 
the  frame.  I  tried  the  handle,  and  found  that 
it  was  securely  locked. 

"  No  use,  Phil,"  said  a  voice  in  the  entry, 
which  I  recognized  as  that  of  Morgan  Blair. 

It  appeared  that  my  late  fellow-workman  was 
stationed  as  a  sentinel  at  the  door  to  prevent 
my  escape. 

II  Where's  Lynch  ?  "  I  asked,  placing  my  mouth 
at  the  key-hole. 

"Down  stairs.  Are  you  ready  to  give  up  the 
note?" 

"  No." 

"  When  you  are,  let  me  know." 

I  made  no  reply,  but  walked  to  the  window 
to  see  what  the  prospect  was  in  that  direction. 
I   did   not  wish  to   stay  in  my   prison   a   great 


234  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

while,  for  I  knew  that  my  father  would  worry- 
about  me  if  I  did  not  return  soon.  I  was  in 
the  hands  of  the  enemy,  and  I  was  afraid  that 
Lynch  would  keep  me  in  the  room  till  the 
middle  of  the  night,  and  then,  with  the  aid  of 
others,  overcome  me,  and  rob  me  of  the  note. 
1  was  not  so  well  satisfied  with  the  situation 
as  at  first,  when  I  could  realize  the  possibili- 
ties of  the  occasion. 

The  window  opened  upon  a  steep  roof.  I 
raised  the  sash  very  carefully,  so  that  Blair 
might  not  know  what  I  was  about.  But,  then, 
I  had  hardly  a  hope  of  being  able  to  escape 
in  this  direction;  for  I  did  not  see  how  it  was 
possible  for  me  to  descend  to  the  street.  How- 
ever, 1  should  be  out  of  the  reach  of  my  in- 
quisitors, even  if  I  passed  the  night  on  the  cold 
slates  of  the  roof.  I  climbed  out  of  the  win- 
dow, and  my  head  swam  when  I  looked  down 
the  fearful  depth  below  me.  I  was  on  the  rear 
slope  of  the  roof,  and  beneath  me  was  the  back 
yard  of  the  house. 

The  darkness  rather  favored  me,  for  I  could 
not  so  readily  measure  distances,  and  in  a  short 
time  I  became  accustomed  to  the  giddy  height, 


THE   MISHAPS    OF   A    MECHANIC.  235 

though  I  thought  it  best  not  to  look  down. 
Holding  on  with  one  hand  at  the  side  of  the 
luthern  window,  I  closed  the  lower  sash,  and 
dropped  the  upper  one.  Grasping  the  inside 
of  the  window-frame  for  support,  I  climbed 
up  till  my  feet  were  plac.ed  upon  the  top  of 
the  two  sashes.  I  could  then  reach  the  roof 
of  the  luthern  window.  A  ledge  on  the  top  of 
it  afforded  me  a  good  hold,  and  I  drew  myself  up, 
though  with  considerable  difficulty,  and  my 
breath  was  all  gone  when  I  reached  the  point, 
exhausted  by  the  violence  of  my  exertions. 

I  lay  where  I  was  a  few  moments  to  recover 
my  wind  and  my  strength.  I  had  placed  the 
poker  on  the  roof  before  I  ascended,  for  I  was 
afraid  that  I  might  yet  have  to  fight  a  battle. 
I  had  worked  very  carefully,  so  as  not  to  dis- 
turb the  sentinel  at  the  door  of  the  room ;  and, 
so  far  as  I  could  judge,  I  had  been  successful, 
for  I  heard  nothing  of  him.  I  was  on  the  top 
of  the  luthern  window;  and,  so  far  as  the  in- 
quisitors were  concerned,  I  was  safe.  I  pre- 
ferred to  stay  there,  though  the  night  was 
quite  chilly,  rather  than  in  the  chamber  of 
Lynch.      But    if    I    could    have    my    choice,    it 


236  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

would  suit  me  better  to  go  home,  and  sleep 
in  my  own  bed.    • 

About  half  way  between  the  luthern  window 
and  the  ridge-pole  of  the  house  there  was  a 
skylight.  The  light  shone  up  through  it,  and 
I  concluded  from  its  position  that  it  was  used 
to  light  the  entry  where  Blair  was  keeping 
guard  over  the  door.  Lying  down  on  the 
slated  roof,  with  my  feet  resting  upon  the 
luthern  window,  I  found  I  could  reach  the  upper 
end  of  the  skylight  with  my  hands.  I  looked 
through  the  glass  into  the  entry  below,  and 
saw  a  gas-light  burning  there.  Under  me  was 
the  door  of  the  gambling-chamber,  but  Blair 
was  not  there.  I  tried  to  raise  the  skylight; 
but  it  was  secure,  and  could  not  be  moved. 
It  was  at  least  fourteen  feet  above  the  floor, 
and  the  space  between  the  glass  and  the  ceil- 
ing of  the  entry  was  boxed  in,  forming  a  ven- 
tiduct for  the  passage  of  the  air. 

If  I  could  have  opened  the  skylight,  it  would 
have  been  hardly  prudent  for  me  to  drop  down 
fourteen  feet  upon  a  hard  floor,  with  the  addi- 
tional peril  of  encountering  my  enemies  in  go- 
ing   down  the   stairs.      I    could   not    see   Blair, 


THE  MISHAPS   OF  A  MECHANIC.  237 

and  I  concluded  that  he  had  heard  me,  in 
spite  of  all  my  precautions,  and  had  gone  to 
procure  the  aid  of  Lynch.  Whether  this  view 
was  correct  or  not,  I  decided  to  act  upon  it, 
and  increase  the  distance  between  myself  and 
my  persecutors.  Grasping  the  upper  part  of 
the  skylight,  I  dragged  myself  up  to  the  point 
where  I  had  placed  my  hands.  Here  I  paused 
to  breathe  again. 

While  I  was  waiting  I  heard  voices  through 
the  skylight.  Looking  through  the  glass,  I 
saw  Lynch  and  Blair,  the  latter  unlocking  the 
chamber  door.  I'  immediately  concluded  not 
to  rest  any  longer,  and  laying  hold  of  the  ridge- 
pole, I  drew  myself  up,  and  took  a  seat  astride 
the  saddle-boards.  The  block  extended  as  far 
as  I  could  see  in  the  gloom  of  the  night.  With 
my  hands  upon  the  saddle-boards,  I  hopped 
along  like  a  frog  till  I  was  satisfied  that  I  was 
out  of  the  reach  .  of  any  pursuers.  But  I  be- 
gan to  be  very  anxious  to  reach  terra  firma 
once  more,  and  I  continued  to  hop  till  I  came 
to  a  four-story  block  with  a  flat  roof.  This 
was  hopeful,  and  passing  from  the  steep  slope 
I  found  myself  in  a  very  comfortable  position. 


238  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

I  could  discover  no  signs  of  any  pursuers 
behind  me ;  and  I  concluded  that  the  inquisi- 
tors were  not  enterprising  enough  to  follow 
me  in  the  perilous  track  I  had  chosen.  Pleas- 
ant as  was  my  present  location  compared  with 
the  slippery  sides  of  the  slated  roof,  I  was  not 
disposed  to  spend  the  night  there.  But  I  did 
not  think  it  safe  to  jump  down  into  the  street, 
for  I  knew  that  the  pavement  could  stand  the 
shock  of  such  a  descent  better  than  I  could. 
On  one  of  the  roofs  there  were  planks  laid 
down,  and  places  for  lines,  and  I  concluded 
that  it  was  used  for  drying  clothes.  At  every 
house  I  found  a  scuttle,  and  some  of  them 
were  not  fastened ;  but  I  did  not  like  the  idea 
of  being  captured  as  a  burglar,  and  sent  to 
the  station-house  to  remain  over  Sunday.  I 
walked  to  the  end  of  the  block,  where  a  cross- 
street  interrupted  my  further  progress  in  that 
direction. 

Between  the  several  tenements  which  com- 
posed the  block  there  were  brick  walls  rising 
about  a  foot  above  the  flat  roof.  They  were' 
the  dividing  lines  between  the  houses.  I  ob- 
served   that    the    house    at    the    corner    of   the 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  239 

cross-street  occupied  as  much  space  as  three 
of  the  others,  and  was  planked  all  over,  with 
stanchions  for  clothes-lines.  I  concluded  that 
the  building  was  used  for  a  purpose  different 
from  the  others.  I  went  to  the  front,  and  looked 
down  into  the  street.  There  were  a  couple  of 
gas-lamps  before  the  door,  and  people  were  con- 
stantly arriving  and  departing.  I  satisfied  my- 
self that  the  house  was  a  hotel. 

In  the  rear  of  the  roof  there  was  a  kind  of 
crane,  with  a  couple  of  ropes  reaching  to  the 
ground.  I  reasoned  that  the  apparatus  was 
used  for  hoisting  up  baskets  of  clothes.  I 
also  found  a  scuttle  door,  which  was  not  fas- 
tened, and  I  began  to  consider  whether  I  should 
go  down  by  the  rope  or  by  the  stairs.  I  did 
not  like  the  idea  of  dangling  in  the  air  fifty 
feet  from  the  ground  on  the  one  hand,  or  of 
being  captured  as  a  thief  on  the  other.  If  I 
went  down  the  rope,  it  might  drop  me  in  some 
back  yard,  where  I  might  be  liable  to  suspi- 
cion if  discovered.  On  the  whole,  I  concluded 
that  the  stairs  were  the  safer  expedient,  and  I 
carefully  opened  the  scuttle  door. 

The  steps  led  down  to    a  well-lighted    entry; 


240  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

and,  having  satisfied  myself  that  no  one  was 
there,  I  descended,  taking  the  precaution  to 
hook  the  door  behind  me,  which  some  care- 
less servant  had  neglected  to  do,  though  I  was 
not  disposed  to  blame  her  for  the  neglect.  Pass- 
ing down  the  steps,  I  came  to  a  long  entry, 
from  which  opened  on  each  side  the  sleeping- 
rooms.  The  stairs  were  at  the  other  end,  and 
I  walked  as  lightly  as  my  thick  boots  would 
permit  through  the  hall.  At  the  stairs  I  heard 
the  sound  of  voices  on  the  floor  below,  and  I 
paused.  I  concluded  that  the  upper  floors  were 
used  for  sleeping-rooms,  and  that  no  one  would 
remain  long  in  the  entry.  Presently  I  heard 
a  door  open,  and  then  the  sound  of  footsteps 
on  the  stairs  below.  As  all  was  still  again, 
I  ventured  to  descend  the  steps  to  the  next 
hall. 

I  had  hardly  reached  this  floor  before  a  gen- 
tleman came  out  of  one  of  the  rooms ;  but  he 
passed  me,  and  went  down  stairs  without  taking 
any  notice  of  me.  I  was  now  on  the  third  story, 
and  must  descend  two  more  flights  in  order  to 
reach  the  street.     I  was  not  a  thief,  and  there 


THE  MISHAPS   OP  A   MECHANIC.  241 

was  no  stolen  property  upon  me.  But  men  in 
white  jackets  were  always  whisking  about  in 
hotels,  as  I  had  observed  at  the  Planters'.  I 
determined  to  be  ready  with  an  answer  if  any 
of  these  fellows  challenged  me,  and  to  tell  the 
whole  truth  if  I  was  detained. 

I  had  hardly  reached  this  conclusion  before 
a  waiter  in  a  white  jacket  confronted  me, 
looked  at  me  suspiciously,  and  demanded  my 
business. 

"  Where  is  Mr.  Rockwood  ? "  I  asked,  using 
the  name  most  familiar  to  me. 

"  That's  his  room  over  there,  where  the  door 
is  open,"  said  he,  pointing  towards  the  other 
end  of  the  hall,  and  then  continuing  on  his  way 
up    stairs. 

I  walked  in  the  direction  indicated,  intend- 
ing to  rush  down  stairs  as  soon  as  the  waiter 
was  out  of  hearing.  I  went  as  far  as  the  open 
door,  and  looked  into  the  apartment.  A  gen- 
tleman sat  in  an  arm-chair,  reading  a  news- 
paper. A  glance  at  him  startled  me  more 
than  anything  that  had  ever  occurred  to  me 
before. 

16 


242  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

That  gentleman  was  Matt  Rockwood,  it  seemed 
to  me,  dressed  in  his  best  clothes.  He  glanced 
from  his  paper  into  the  entry,  as  I  paused 
there.  The  face,  the  expression,  the  white 
beard,. —  everything  about  him  was  Matt  Rock- 
wood. 


THE  MISHAPS   OP   A   MECHANIC.  243 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

IN  WHICH   PHIL   FINDS   HIMSELF   SIXTY-FIVE    DOLLAES 
OUT. 

REPEAT  that  I  was  startled  when  I  saw 
the  gentleman  in  the  room  with  the  open 
door.  He  was  the  very  image  of  Matt  Rock- 
wood,  who  had  taken  me  from  the  cold  waters 
of  the  upper  Missouri,  and  brought  me  up  in 
his  log  cabin.  Of  course  I  could  not  believe 
it  was  old  Matt,  for  I  had  seen  him  fall  before 
the  rifle-shot  of  the  Indian,  /md  had  wept  bit- 
terly over  his  grave  when  his  remains  were 
committed  to  the   earth. 

The  gentleman  before  me  was  dressed  better 
than  old  Matt  ever  clothed  himself;  but  his  face 
was  as  brown  from  exposure,  and  his  brow  as 
deeply  indented  with  wrinkles.  If  I  had  not 
known  that  my  foster-father  was  dead,  I  should 


244  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

have  been  willing  to  declare,  at  the  first  glance, 
that  this  gentleman  was  he. 

"  What  do  you  want,  young  man  ? "  said  he, 
as  I  paused  rather  longer  that  politeness  would 
tolerate  before  his   door. 

His  voice  was  that  of  Matt  Rockwood;  and, 
as  I  do  not  care  to  prolong  a  sensation,  I  at 
once  jumped  to  the  conclusion  that  the  person 
before  me  was  the  brother  of  my  foster-father, 
though  Morgan  Blair  had  assured  me  that  he 
also  was  in  his  grave. 

"If  you  please,  sir,  I  would  like  to  speak  to 
you,"  I  replied  to  his  question. 

"  Come,  in,"  he  added,  laying  aside  his  news- 
paper.    "  What  is  your  business  with  me  ? " 

I  entered  the  room,  which  was  a  parlor,  and 
from  it  a  bedroom  opened  on  one  side.  The 
apartments  were  very  handsomely  furnished,  and 
as  the  gentleman  before  me  was  very  well 
dressed,  I  concluded  that  fortune  had  dealt 
more  kindly  with  him   than  with  Matt. 

"Are  you  Mr.  Rockwood?"  I  asked,  gazing 
earnestly  at  him. 

"I  am." 

"Mr.  Mark  Rockwood?" 


THE  MISHAPS   OF  A  MECHANIC.  245 

"  Yes." 

"  You  had  a  brother,  sir  ? " 

"I  had." 

"  And  a  sister  ?  " 

"  No ;  or  rather  I  had  two,  but  both  of  them 
died  in  their  childhood,"  he  replied,  evidently 
astonished  at  my  line  of  questions. 

He  had  no  sister,  and  Morgan  Blair's  story, 
as  I  had  suspected  after  I  found  him  in  the 
company  of  Lynch,  was  all  a  fiction. 

"Have  you  heard  from  your  brother  within 
a  few  years  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"  Not  for  twenty  years.  But  who  are  you, 
young  man  ? "  he  demanded,  evidently  suppos- 
ing that  I  had  known  his  brother. 

At  this  moment  the  waiter  of  whom  I  had 
inquired  for  Mr.  Rockwood  appeared  before  the 
door  and  looked  in. 

"  What  do  you  want,  John  ? "  asked  the  old 
gentleman. 

"  Nothing,  sir ;  the  young  man  with  you  in- 
quired for  your  room,  and  I  came  to  see  if  he 
found  you,"  replied  the  servant,  retiring. 

"Who  are  you,  young  man,  and  why  do  you 
ask  me  these  questions?" 


246  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

"  I  have  seen  your  brother  Matthew  since  you 
have,  and  I  did  not  know  but  you  might  wish 
to  hear  about  him,  though  I  haven't  any  good 
news   for  you." 

"You  knew  Matthew,  then?" 

"  Yes,  sir ;  I  lived  with  him  about  ten  years. 
In  fact,  he  brought  me  up." 

"  But  the  last  I  heard  of  him,  he  had  gone 
up  the   Missouri  River." 

"  Yes,  sir ;  and  it  was  there  that  I  lived  with 
him." 

"Where  is  he  now?"  asked  Mr.  Rockwood ; 
and  I  saw  that  he   was   considerably  moved. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  say  I  have  no  good  news  to 
tell  you." 

"Is  he  living?" 

"  No,  sir ;  he  died  last  spring.  But  I  want  to 
tell  you,  before  I  say  anything  more,  that  no 
better  man  than  your  brother   ever  lived." 

Mr.  Rockwood  was  silent  for  a  few  moments. 
Doubtless  the  intelligence  I  communicated  re- 
vived the  memories  of  the  past,  when  they  had 
been  children  together. 

"I  am  glad  to  hear  you  speak  well  of  him, 
young   man,   for    really  you    could   not   say  any- 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  247 

thing  more  pleasant  of  him,"  said  Mr.  Rock- 
wood,  at  last.  "  Since  he  is  dead,  nothing  can 
be  more  comforting  than  to  know  that  he  was 
a  good  man.  Matt  was  always  honest  and 
straightforward ;  but  he  was  almost  always  un- 
fortunate. He  failed  in  business,  and  left  this 
part  of  the  country  discouraged  and  disheart- 
ened. I  hope  he  was  never  in  want,  or  any- 
thing of  that  kind." 

"  No,  sir ;  he  always  had  plenty ;  and  when  he 
died  he  left  some  property." 

"  I'm  very  glad  to  hear  it,  for  I  have  had 
times  when  I  worried  a  great  deal  about  it.  I 
tried  to  find  out  where  he  was,  but  I  never 
succeeded.     Were  you  with  him  when  he  died  ?  " 

"  I  was,  sir,"  I  replied,  not  a  little  embar- 
rassed ;  for  I  did  not  like  to  reveal  the  manner 
of  his  death. 

"  Was  he  sick  long  ?  " 

"  No,  sir ;  he  had  been  troubled  with  the 
rheumatism  for  two  or  three  months;  but  he 
was  able  to  be  about  on  crutches  at  the  time 
he    died." 

"  Did  he   die  of  rheumatism  ?  " 


248  PLANE    AND    PLANK,    OE 

"  No,  sir ;  he  did  not  die  of  any  disease,  nor 
suffer  any  pain." 

"  What  do  you  mean,  young  man  ?  " 

"He  was  shot,  and  instantly  killed,  in  a  fight 
with  the  Indians." 

"  Poor  Matt !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Rockwood,  avert- 
ing  his  gaze  from  me. 

"  I  was  as  near  to  him  as  I  am  to  you  now 
when  he  fell.  He  never  moved  or  breathed 
after  he  went  down,"  I  added. 

"  Well,  he  had  lived  his  threescore  and  ten,  and 
perhaps  one  could  not  pass  away  any  easier ; 
but  it  is  grating  to  one's  feelings  to  know  that 
his  brother  was  shot." 

I  related  to  him  very  minutely  the  history 
of  Matt  Rockwood ;  and  he  listened,  as  may  well 
be   supposed,  with  the   deepest  interest. 

"  And  so  you  found  your  father  ? "  said  he, 
as  I  concluded  the  narrative. 

"  Yes,  sir ;  and  I  hope  yet  to  save  him  from 
himself." 

"  I  hope  so ;  and  I  am  willing  to  do  all  I  can 
for  you  and  for  him." 

"  Thank  you,  sir.  As  I  said  before,  sir,  your 
brother    left    about   a   thousand    dollars   in   gold, 


THE  MISHAPS   OF  A   MECHANIC.  249 

and  by  selling  wood  and  produce  we  made  the 
amount  up  to  about  sixteen  hundred  dollars. 
A  young  man,  by  the  name  of  Morgan  Blair, 
says  he  is  the  son  of  Matt's  sister,  and  claims 
this  money." 

"  Matt  had  no  sister/7  replied  Mr.  Rockwood, 
smiling. 

I  told  him  what  had  happened  to  me  that 
night ;  but,  as  I  related  the  story  in  a  good- 
natured  vein,  he  was  rather   amused   at   it. 

"  Then  you  did  not  come  to  this  hotel  to  see 
me?" 

"  No,  sir  j  I  blundered  upon  you  -, "  and  I  ex- 
plained how  I  had  happened  to  be  before  his  door 
when  he  discovered  me,  and  why  I  had  paused 
there  longer  than  I  intended. 

He  laughed  heartily  at  my  story,  but  I  no- 
ticed that  he  suddenly  became  sad  whenever  I 
alluded,  directly  or  indirectly,  to  his  brother. 

"We  will  take  care  of  Mr.  Morgan  Blair  in 
due  time,"  said  Mr.  Rockwood.  "  Now,  Phil, 
what  do  you  do  ?  " 

"I  am  a  carpenter." 

"Where  do  you  live?" 


250  PLANE   AND    PLANK,   OR 

I  gave  him  Mrs.  Greenough's  address,  and 
he  wrote  it  down   in  his  memorandum  book. 

"  But  I  must  go  home,  sir ;  I  ought  to  have 
gone  long  ago.  I  am  afraid  my  father  will 
think  something  has  happened  to  me,"  I  con- 
tinued. 

"Well  I  think  something  has  happened  to 
you.  But  I  will  not  keep  you  any  longer.  I 
will  go  home  with  you,  if  you  have  no  objec- 
tion." 

"  I  should  be  very  glad  to  have  you,  sir." 

"  I   should  like  to  see  your   father." 

While  he  was  putting  on  his  overcoat,  I  took 
Mr.  Gracewood's  note  from  my  pocket,  *  and 
tendered   it  to  him. 

"What's  that,  Phil?"  he  asked. 

"It's  a  note  for  fifteen  hundred  dollars  — 
the  money  your  brother  left  and  the  proceeds 
of  the   sale  of  some  of  his  property." 

"  This  is  the  note  that  those  ruffians  want- 
ed?" he  replied,  taking  the  paper  and  read- 
ing it. 

"  I  think  a  little  of  it  belongs  to  me,  for  I 
earned  it  after  the  death  of  your  brother." 


THE   MISHAPS    OF   A   MECHANIC.  251 

"  0,  my  boy,  you  shall  have  the  whole  of  it ! 
I  will  never  touch  a  penny  of  it." 

"  But  it  does  not  all  belong  to  me." 

"  Every  mill  of  it,"  said  he,  earnestly.  "  You 
took  care  of  my  brother  when  he  was  sick,  and 
he  brought  you  up.  You  have  a  better  claim 
to  his  property  than  I  have,  or  should  have  if 
I  needed  it,  which  I  do  not." 

"  You  are  very  kind,  sir." 

"Only  just." 

We  went  down  stairs,  and  I  saw  that  all  the 
people  in  the  hotel  treated  Mr.  Eockwood  with 
"  distinguished  consideration."  At  his  request, 
the  landlord  called  a  carriage,  and  I  went  home 
in  state.  I  had  never  been  in  a  carriage  be- 
fore, and  I  regarded  it  as  a  very  pleasant 
mode   of  conveyance. 

"  I  am  sorry  I  did  not  see  you  before,  Phil,  for 
I  must  leave  for  the  south  in  a  day  or  two," 
said  Mr.  Eockwood,  as  the  carriage  drove  off. 

"  Do  you  live  at  the  south  ? " 

"  Yes ;  I  have  been  in  Mississippi  almost 
twenty  years.  I  have  a  large  plantation  there. 
I  made    my    fortune    down    there ;    but    I    don't 


252  PLANE   AND    PLANK,    OR 

think  I  shall  remain  there  much  longer.  The 
climate  don't  agree  with  my  wife  as  well  as 
St.  Louis.  I  have  been  investing  money  in 
this  city  for  several  years,  and  when  I  can  sell 
my  plantation  I  shall  come  here  to  live.  I 
own  that  hotel  and  the  block  of  buildings 
with  the  flat  roof  over  which  you  passed.  I 
have  to  come  here  tAvo  or  three  times  a  year 
to  look  after  the  property ;  and  my  family  gen- 
erally spend  the  summer  here.  I  hope  I  shall 
see  more  of  you,  Phil." 

"Thank   you,  sir." 

"  If  you  were  a  little  older,  I  could  give  you 
something  better  to  do  than  carpentering." 

"  I  like  that  business,  sir,  and  don't  care  about 
leaving  it  at  present." 

The  carriage  stopped  at  Mrs.  Greenough's, 
and  we  went  up  stairs.  I  was  obliged  to  show 
my  wealthy  friend  into  the  kitchen,  for  there 
was  no  fire  in  the  parlor.  However,  there 
was  not  much  difference  between  the  two 
rooms. 

"  I  am  so  glad  you  have  come  home,  Phil ! " 
said    my   landlady,    descending    the    stairs   when 


THE  MISHAPS   OF  A  MECHANIC.  253 

she  heard  me.  "  We  have  been  really  worried 
about  you.'7 

"  I  am  all  right/'  I  replied ;  and  then  I  in- 
troduced Mr.  Rock  wood. 

Mrs.  Greenough  apologized  for  meeting  him 
in  the  kitchen.  She  was  obliged  to  stay  with 
Mr.  Farringford  so  much  of  the  time  that  she 
did  not  keep  a  fire  in  the  parlor.  She  would 
make  one,  if  he  would  excuse  her;  but  the  dis- 
tinguished gentleman  declined  to  excuse  her, 
and  thought  the  kitchen  was  very  comfortable 
and  very  pleasant. 

"And  so  you  got  out,  Phil,"  she  added,  turn- 
ing to   me. 

"Out?  How  did  you  know  anything  about 
it?"  I  inquired,  very  much  surprised  to  find 
that  the  intelligence  of  my  adventure  had  pre- 
ceded me. 

"Why,  a  policeman  has  been  here  with  your 
note." 

"My  note!     What  note?" 

"Didn't  you  write  a  billet  to  me?"  she  con- 
tinued, bustling  about  to  find  the  important 
document. 

"I  am  not  aware  that  I  did,"  I    replied. 


254  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

"Why,  yes,  you  did,  Phil.  Where  is  it?  I 
must  have  left  it  up  stairs.  I  will  go  up 
after  it." 

"  But  I  haven't  written  any  billet,"  I  pro- 
tested. 

"  I  will  show  it  to  you,"  said  she,  hastening 
up  stairs  to  find  the  note. 

"  Your  friends  appear  to  have  doubled  on  you, 
after  all,"  laughed  Mr.   Rockwood. 

"I  don't  understand  it,  though  I  remember 
that  in  order  to  save  the  rascals  the  trouble  of 
attempting  to  get  any  money  out  of  me,  I  told 
them  1  had  left  my  balance  at  home." 

Mrs.  Greenough  returned  with  the  note,  and 
handed  it  to  me.  I  read  it  with  astonishment 
and  indignation.  My  name  was  signed  at  the 
end  of  it;  but,  of  course,  no  part  of  the  con- 
tents was  written  by  me.  In  the  note  I  was 
represented  as  informing  the  good  lady  that  I 
had  been  arrested,  and  conveyed  to  the  station- 
house  ;  but  I  could  be  bailed  out  till  Monday 
by  depositing  sixty-five  dollars  with  the  sergeant 
of  police. 

"Who  brought  this?"  I  asked. 

"A  man  who  said  he  was  a  policeman." 


THE  MISHAPS   OF   A  MECHANIC.  255 

"Did  you  know  him?" 

"  No ;  but  after  consulting  a  long  time  with 
your  father,  we  sent  the  money." 

"  You   did  ! "   I   exclaimed. 

I  concluded  that  I  was  sixty-five  dollars 
out. 


256  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

IN  WHICH  PHIL  RETURNS  TO  THE  DEN  OF  THE  ENEMY. 

I  FELT  that  I  could  affor.d  to  lose  sixty-five 
dollars  better  than  ever  before ;  but  I  did 
not  like  the  idea  of  being  swindled.  It  was  es- 
pecially repugnant  to  be  overreached  by  such 
scoundrels  as  Lynch  and  Blair,  though  the  latter 
appeared  to  be  only  the  tool  of  the  former. 

"  I  did  not  like  to  give  the  man  the  money, 
but  your  father  thought  that,  as  he  was  a  police- 
man, it  was  all  right,"  Mrs.  Greenough  explained. 
"  Your  father  was  very  much  worried  when  he 
heard  you  were  arrested." 

"  I  have  not  been  arrested,"  I  replied. 

"  Your  father  wishes  to  see  you,"  added  the 
landlady. 

"  I  will  go  up  with  you,  if  you  please,"  said 
Mr.  Rockwood. 

We   went  up   to   my   father's    room,  where  I 


THE  MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  257 

introduced  my  new  friend  to  him.  It  required 
some  time,  of  course,  to  explain  who  and  what  the 
planter  was,  and  how  I  had  made  his  acquaintance. 

"  Then  you  have  not  been  arrested,"  said  my 
father. 

"  No ;  but  I  was  kept  a  prisoner  by  these 
scoundrels." 

"We  must  attend  to  them,"  added  Mr.  Rock- 
wood,  consulting  his  watch. 

"  Dear  me  !  there  is  the  door-bell  again  !  "  ex- 
claimed Mrs.  Greenough.  "  Who  can  it  be  at 
this  time  of  night !  " 

"  It  is  only  half  past  nine,"  added  the  planter, 
as  I  took  a  light  to  answer  the  bell.  "  I .  think 
Mrs.  Greenough  had  better  go  to  the  door,  for 
I  don't  believe  these  scoundrels  will  be  satisfied 
with  sixty-five  dollars." 

At  this  suggestion  Mrs.  Greenough  answered 
the  summons,  and  soon  returned  with  another 
note — from  me!  I  opened  it,  and  read  that  I 
had  been  arrested  in  connection  with  the  claim 
of  Morgan  Blair,  and  that  when  the  police  ser- 
geant heard  there  was  a  note,  which  represented 
the  property  claimed,  in  my  possession,  he  thought 
17 


258  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OB 

it  was  better  to  have  it  deposited  with  the  chief 
of  police  for  safe  keeping. 

"  These  fellows  evidently  think  you  have  not 
yet  returned  to  your  home,  Phil,"  said  Mr.  Rock- 
wood. 

"  I  don't  blame  them  much  for  thinking  so, 
for  I  expected  to  stay  on  those  roofs  all  night ; 
and  I  think  I  should  if  you  had  not  been  so  wise 
as  to  put  a  hotel  in  the  block,"  I  replied. 

"  The  man  asked  if  Phil  was  at  home  before 
he  gave  me  the  note,"  said  the  landlady,  "  and 
I  evaded  the  question." 

"  What  shall  we  do  ?  "  asked  my  father,  raising 
himself  in  the  bed. 

"  Phil  and  I  will  pay  a  visit  to  these  rascals," 
answered  the  planter.     "  Have  you  an  envelope  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  I  replied,  producing  one,  with  some 
paper. 

He  folded  up  a  sheet  of  paper,  put  it  in  the 
envelope,  and  requested  the  landlady  to  direct  it 
to  the  chief  of  police. 

"  Where  is  this  messenger  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Rock- 
wood. 

"  He  is  waiting  in  the  kitchen." 

"Very    well,    Mrs.    Greenough.      If   you   will 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  259 

close  the  door,  so  that  we  can  get  into  the  street 
without  his  knowledge,  we  will  follow  him  up 
and  attend  to  this  business." 

The  landlady  went  down  stairs,  and  when  she 
had  closed  the  kitchen  door,  the  planter  and 
myself  crept  softly  down  stairs,  and  went  into 
the  street.  We  placed  ourselves  where  we 
could  identify  the  messenger  when  he  came  out 
of  the  house.  He  was  evidently  satisfied  that 
the  envelope  contained  the  document  for  which 
he  had  been  sent,  for  he  immediately  followed  us 
out  of  the  house.  He  was  a  well-dressed  man, 
as  we  saw  by  the  light  of  the  corner  street  lamp. 
He  wore  a  light-colored  overcoat,  so  that  Ave 
could  easily  follow  him  as  he  passed  through  the 
streets.  Mr.  Rockwood  went  behind  him,  while 
I  walked  on  the  other  side  of  the  street,  and 
kept  up  with  him.  He  went,  as  I  supposed  he 
would,  to  the  house  to  which  I  had  been  enticed 
earlier  in  the  evening.  He  went  in  by  the  aid 
of  a  night-key,  and  doubtless  believed  that  he 
had  fully  accomplished  the  mission  upon  which 
he  had  been  sent. 

"  You  are  younger  and  more  active  than  I 
am,   Phil,"    said   Mr.    Rockwood,  when  the   man 


260  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OE 

had  entered  the  house  and  closed  the  door  be- 
hind him.  -"  If  you  will  stay  here,  and  follow 
any  of  the  rascals  if  they  come  out  again,  I  will 
get  an  officer." 

"  Very  well,  sir." 

The  planter  hastened  to  his  hotel,  and  I  sta- 
tioned myself  where  I  could  see  who  left  the 
house.  My  friend  was  not  absent  more  than  a 
quarter  of  an  hour,  and  returned  with  two  offi- 
cers, whom  the  landlord  of  the  hotel  had  procured 
for  him.  One  of  them  was  in  uniform,  and  the 
other  a  detective  in  plain  clothes.  I  concluded 
that  Mr.  Rockwood  meant  business,  and  instead  of 
my  spending  Sunday  as  a  prisoner,  this  would  be 
the  fate  of  those  who  were  trying  to  swindle  me. 

"  That's  a  gambling-house,"  said  the  policeman 
in  uniform,  when  I  pointed  out  the  door  where 
the  man  entered. 

"  Undoubtedly  it  is  a  gambling-house,"  replied 
the  detective,  gazing  inquiringly  at  me,  as  though 
he  was  not  quite  satisfied  with  the  story  related 
to  him  by  Mr.  Rockwood  ;  "  but  even  a  gambling- 
house  has  certain  rights,  which  may  not  be  dis- 
turbed without  proper  cause." 

"Proper    cause!"    exclaimed    Mr.    Rockwood. 


THE   MISHAPS    OP   A   MECHANIC.  261 

"  Don't  I  tell  you  that  tliis  young  man  has  been 
robbed  and  abused  by  the  villains  in  this  house  ?  " 

"  You  will  excuse  me,  sir,  but  it  is  possible  to 
be  mistaken.  If  I  understand  you,  Mr.  Rock- 
wood,  you  met  this  boy  for  the  first  time  about 
two  hours  ago." 

"But  I  have  entire  confidence  in  him.  He  is 
the  son  of  Edward  Farringford." 

"  Perhaps  he  is,  though  I  do  not  believe  it ; 
but  that  is  nothing  to  recommend  him.  His 
story  is  absurd  on  the  face  of  it." 

"  My  story  is  true,  sir,  every  word  of  it,"  I 
interposed,  indignantly. 

Mr.  Bogart,  the  detective,  asked  me  a  few 
questions  in  regard  to  my  escape  from  the  build- 
ing, and  I  repeated  all  the  particulars.  He  shook 
his  head,  and  declared  that  he  was  unwilling  to 
enter  the  house  upon  the  strength  of  such  a 
story.  It  would  damage  his  reputation  as  an 
officer,  and  his  superiors  would  not  justify  the 
measure. 

"  I'll  tell  you  what  I  will  do,"  he  continued. 

"  Well,  what  will  you  do  ? "  demanded  Mr. 
Rockwood,  impatiently. 

"  I  will   go  with  this   young  man   to  the   top 


262  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

of  the  house,  where  he  left  the  chamber  of  the 
gambler.  I  will  follow  him  into  the  house  by 
the  window  through  which  he  came  out." 

"  I  don't  think  you  can  get  in  at  the  window." 

"  I  suppose  not,"  said  Mr.  Bogart,  with  a 
palpable  sneer. 

"  But  I  will  go  with  you,  and  show  you  the 
window/'  I  added. 

u  I  wish  you  would,"  replied  the  officer,  who 
evidently  believed  that  I  should  give  him  the 
slip  before  I  verified  my  position. 

Mr.  Rockwood  and  the  policeman  were  to 
remain  in  the  street  and  keep  watch  of  the  house 
during  our  absence.  If  the  gambler's  messenger 
who  had  gone  to  the  house  of  Mrs.  Greenough 
appeared,  he  was  to  be  arrested. 

Mr.  Bogart  and  myself  went  to  the  hotel, 
where,  after  my  companion  had  spoken  to  the 
landlord,  we  ascended  to  the  roof. 

"  Now,  young  man,  if  you  will  go  ahead,  I 
will  follow  you,"  said  the  detective. 

"  I  hope  you  are  used  to  climbing,"  I  replied. 

"Don't  borrow  any  trouble  on  my  account; 
I  will  follow  anywhere  that  you  will  lead/' 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  263 

"  All  right,  sir ;  I  hope  I  shall  soon  be  able 
to  prove  all  that  I  have  stated." 

"  I  hope  so/'  replied  he,  in  a  tone  which  as- 
sured me  that  he  did  not  expect  anything  of  the 
kind. 

I  led  the  way  across  the  flat  roof,  and  at  the 
next  block  we  mounted  the  ridge-pole  of  the 
pitch  roof.  Mr.  Bogart  cautioned  me  to  move 
with  care,  so  as  not  to  disturb  the  inmates  of 
the  houses  beneath  us.  I  was  soon  in  position 
to  see  the  bright  light  streaming  up  from  the 
tenement  to  which  I  had  been  decoyed  by  the 
villains. 

"  That's  the  house,"  said  I,  pointing  to  the  light. 

"  Did  you  come  up  through  that  scuttle  ? "  he 
asked. 

"  No,  I  came  up  over  the  top  of  the  luthern 
window." 

"  Impossible  ! "  exclaimed  he,  glancing  at  the 
window. 

"  It  is  true ;  and  I  suppose  I  shall  have  to  go 
in  that  way,"  I  continued;  and  I  explained  minute- 
ly how  I  had  made  my  exit  from  the  chamber. 

"  Lead  on.  We  will  examine  the  house,"  said 
Mr.  Bogart. 


264  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

On  a  nearer  approach  to  the  roof  of  the  gam- 
bling-house, I  discovered  that  the  glass  scuttle 
was  open,  and  I  concluded  that  Lynch  and  Blair 
had  been  upon  the  roof  in  search  of  me.  When 
I  reached  the  opening  I  found  a  ladder  conven- 
iently placed  for  my  descent,  if  I  chose  to  avail 
myself  of  its  aid.  I  looked  down  into  the  entry, 
where  the  gas-light  still  blazed  cheerfully.  The 
door  of  Lynch's  room  was  open,  and  I  could 
distinctly  hear  the  voices  of  my  late  captors. 

"  They  took  me  into  that  front  room,"  I  whis- 
pered to  my  doubting  companion. 

"  This  looks  a  little  as  though  your  story  was 
true,"  said  Mr.  Bogart. 

"Will  you  follow  me  down  this  ladder?" 

"  No,  not  yet.  I  wish  to  get  a  little  better 
idea  of  what  these  fellows  mean.  Are  you  afraid 
of  them  ?  " 

"  No ;  not  a  bit,"  I  answered,  raising  the  "poker 
which  I  had  picked  up  where  I  left  it  on  the  roof. 

"  Will  you  go  down  alone  ? "  he  asked. 

"  Yes,  if  you  desire  it." 

"  I  will  keep  the  run  of  you,  and  see  what  is 
done.  If  you  get  into  trouble  with  them,  just 
whistle  as  loud  as  you  can,  and  I  will  join  you." 


THE  MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  265 

"  But  suppose  they  take  away  the  ladder  ?  " 

"  Then  I  will  go  down  as  I  came  up,  and  enter 
the  house  by  the  front  door.  Don't  be  afraid 
of  anything.". 

"  I'm  not  afraid." 

"I  will  be  near  you.  I  want  to  know  what 
these  fellows  mean  to  do.  If  they  close  the 
door,  I  will  go  down  the  ladder  into  the  entry." 

Suddenly  my  companion  appeared  to  have  be- 
come very  enthusiastic  in  the  business  upon 
which  we  were  engaged.  Though  he  did  not  say 
so,  I  was  satisfied  that  he  was  convinced  of  the 
truth  of  my  statement. 

"  What  shall  I  do  ? "  I  asked,  rather  puzzled 
by  the  tactics  of  the  detective. 

"  Do  whatever  they  wish  you  to  do ;  but  don't 
let  them  know  that  you  have  been  off  the  roof 
since  you  escaped. 

"Why  not?" 

"  I  cannot  stop  to  explain  now ;  only  I  don't 
think  these  rascals  have  taken  all  this  trouble 
with  you  for  fifty  or  a  hundred  dollars ;  and  they 
mean  to  use  you  as  a  cat's  paw  for  something 
else." 


266  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

'"  I  know  they  do,"  I  replied,  in  a  whisper. 
"  They  want  the  fifteen  hundred  dollars  in  gold, 
for  which  I  hold  a  note  signed  by  Mr.  Gracewood." 

"  No  matter  now,"  said  he,  impatiently.  "  Go 
down,  and  give  them  all  the  rope  they  want." 

"  Shall  I  give  them  the  note,  which  I  have  in 
my  pocket?" 

"  I  haven't  heard  about  the  note.  If  you  had 
told  me  the  whole  story  before  now,  I  should 
have  known  better  what  to  do." 

We  retreated  a  few  paces  from  the  skylight, 
and  I  told  him  all  about  the  note  and  the  object 
of  Lynch.  I  assured  him  that  Mr.  Eockwood 
was  the  legal  heir  of  the  property. 

"  The  note  is  of  no  consequence  then,"  said 
Mr.  Bogart.  "  Give  it  to  them,  but  don't  indorse 
it,  and  I  will  see  that  it  is  returned  to  you.  We 
have  them  now.  They  can't  escape  us.  Now, 
go  down,  and  let  them  have  their  own  way,  but 
with  some  show  of  opposition." 

I  descended  the  ladder,  and  stood  before  the 
open  door  of  the  chamber,  when  I  saw  Lynch, 
with  his  feet  on  the  table,  smoking.  Morgan 
Blair  sat  opposite  him.     They  discovered  me  as 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A  MECHANIC.  267 

soon  as  I  landed  in  the  hall,  and  made  haste  to 
place  themselves  between  me  and  the  stairs,  in 
order  to  cut  off  my  escape.  As  I  did  not  wish 
to  escape,  I  gave  them  no  trouble  in  this  direc- 
tion, but  entered  the  chamber. 


PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

IN  WHICH  PHIL   MEETS   A   PALE   GENTLEMAN  WITH 
ONE   ARM   IN   A   SLING. 

"T  THOUGHT  you  would  come  back,  my 
1  dear  Phil,"  said  Mr.  Leonidas  Lynchpinne, 
as  he  placed  himself  in  the  doorway  before  me. 
"I  knew  you  had  so  much  respect  and  regard 
for  us  that  you  would  not  break  our  hearts  by 
being  long  absent.  By  the  way,  Phil,  how  is 
the  weather  on   the  roof?" 

"  It  is  rather  cool,"  I  replied,  ,  seating  my- 
self in  the  vacant  chair,  "  but  not  quite  so  cool 
as  you  are,  Mr.  Leonidas  Lynchpinne." 

"  Phil,  be  virtuous,  and  you  will  always  be 
happy ;  that  is  the  secret  of  my  uninterrupted 
cheerfulness ;  that  enables  me  always  and  every- 
where to  be  perfectly  calm  and  collected.  Be . 
honest,  just,  and  upright,  Phil;  and  then  the 
man  don't  live  that   can  make  you  tremble,  or, 


THE  MISHAPS   OF  A  MECHANIC.  269 

in  other  words,  shake  in  your  boots.  But  be- 
sides being  all  these,  Phil,  you  should  be  chari- 
table and  humane,  especially  the  latter.  I  am 
humane,  Phil,  and  that  adds  to  the  sum  total 
of  my  bliss  on  earth." 

"  You  must  be  an  exceedingly  happy  man, 
Mr.  Leonidas  Lynchpinne,"  I  added ;  and  I  saw 
that  he  had  been  drinking  some  exhilarating 
beverage  since  I  left  him. 

"  0,  I  am  —  happy  as  the  day  is  long,  and 
the  night  too.  You  were  so  very  imprudent, 
Phil,  as  to  make  your  exit  —  in  other  words, 
your  departure  —  from  this  room  by  the  way  of 
that  front  window.  You  might  have  fallen  upon 
the  hard  pavement  in  the  street  below;  and 
then  how  I  should  have  wept  over  your  brief 
but  wasted  life  ! " 

"  You  are  very  affectionate." 

"Affection  is  the  staple  fodder  of  my  exist- 
ence, Phil.  By  a  process  of  reasoning  which 
I  need  not  attempt  to  develop  to  your  unprac- 
tised understanding,  I  arrived  at  the  conclu- 
sion that,  you  would  be  compelled  to  remain 
all  night  on  the  roof  of  this  and  the  adjacent 
houses,    unless    something    was    done    for    you. 


270  PLANE   AND  PLANK,   OR 

Dreading  lest,  benumbed  with  cold,  you  should 
attempt  the  fearful  feat  of  returning  to  this 
humble  apartment  by  the  same  means  you 
used  in  leaving  it,  I  placed  that  ladder  at  the 
skylight  for  your  use.  After  all  the  wrongs, 
injuries,  and  insults  you  have  heaped  upon 
me,  I  took  this  means  to  prevent  you  from 
sacrificing  yourself  on  the  hard  pavement  be- 
low. That  is  what  I  call  humanity,  and  I  offer 
it  to  you  as  an  exemplification  of  that  noble 
attribute." 

"  Thank  you ;  and  I  will  endeavor  to  profit  by 
your  example,  at  least  so  far  as  it  illustrates 
the  attribute  of  humanity.  If  you  have  noth- 
ing more  to  say  to  me,  I  will  take  my  leave 
of  you." 

"  Stay,  Phil ;  I  have  more  to  say  to  you,"  he 
interposed.  "  Be  honest,  and  you  will  be  eccen- 
tric—  I  mean,  you  will  be  happy." 

"I  am  glad  to  hear  such  lessons  of  practical 
wisdom  from  you,  Mr.  Leonidas  Lynchpinne," 
I  replied,  hoping  he  would  soon  come  to  the 
point,  if  he  had  any  point,  as  Mr.  JBogart  had 
suggested. 

"  You    appreciate    true    wisdom,    Phil.     Good  J 


THE   MISHAPS   OF  A   MECHANIC.  271 

Then  you  will  give  that  note  to  this  honest 
young  man." 

"  Certainly  I  will  give  it  to  him  when  he 
proves  his   claim." 

I  concluded  that  he  was  not  satisfied  with  the 
blank  paper  sent  in  the  envelope. 

"  I  knew  you  Avould  be  just,  Phil,  after  the  good 
advice  I  have  given  you ;  for  you  are  not  a 
bad  boy  at  heart,  though  you  have  been  led 
away  by  evil  influences.  If  you  stay  with  me 
a  while,  you  will  be  reformed,  and  then  you 
will  lead  a  good  and  true  life,  and  then  you 
will  be  eccentric  —  happy,  I  mean.  Won't  you 
smoke  a  cigar,  Phil  ? " 

"  No,  I  thank   you ;  I  never  smoke." 

"That's  right,  Phil.  It's  a  filthy  practice, 
besides  leading  to  other  vices  more  to  be  con- 
demned," said  he,  lighting  a  fresh  cigar.  "  Now, 
Phil,  about  that  note,  which  justly  and  rightly 
belongs  to  my  good  friend  Morgan  Blair.  Do 
you  happen  to  have  it  about  you?" 

"  Yes ;  I  have  it  in  my  pocket,"  I  replied, 
acting  upon  the  advice    of  Mr.  Bogart. 

"  Capital !  Things  always  work  right  for  those 
who  are  faithful  and  humane.     I'm  faithful  and 


272  PLANE   AND   PLANK,    OR 

humane.  Now,  we  are  going  to  bring  you  two 
good  and  true  witnesses,  who  will  convince 
you  that  Morgan  Blair  is  the  son  of  Matt 
Eockwood's  sister.  We  have  taken  a  great  deal 
of  pains  to  send  to  Vandalia  for  them,  and  they 
will  be  here  to-night  —  this  very  night,  Phil. 
That's  all  we  want  to  see  you  for." 

"  Very  well ;  I  should  like  to  hear  what  they 
have   to    say." 

"  You  shall  hear  them.  I  will  go  down  and 
bring'  them  up,"  he  added,  rising  from  the 
chair. 

He  had  hardly  got  up  before  the  door  was 
darkened  by  what  to  me  seemed  to  be  an 
apparition.  It  was  a  gentleman  with  an  overcoat 
thrown  loosely  over  his  shoulders.  He  wore 
no  other  coat,  and  no  vest.  I  saw  that  his 
left  arm  was  suspended  in  a  sling.  His  face 
was  very  pale,  and  he  looked  very  much  like 
my  excellent  friend  Mr.  Gracewood,  though  a 
second  glance  assured  me  it  was  not  he.  When 
he  discovered  me,  he  started  backhand  was  dis- 
posed to  retreat. 

"  You  have  company,  Mr.  Lynch,"  said  the 
pale    gentleman.      "  I   will   come   another  time." 


THE  MISHAPS   OP   A   MECHANIC.  273 

"  Come  in,  Mr.  Gracewood.  Come  in ! "  re- 
plied Lynch,  placing  the  rocking-chair  for  the 
visitor,  who  was   evidently  an   invalid. 

Mr.  Gracewood !  It  certainly  was  not  my 
kind  friend ;  but  the  resemblance  was  strong 
enough  to  assure  me  that  he  was  a  relative,  if 
not   a   brother. 

"  Is  this  the  way  you  keep  my  secret  ? "  said 
the  pale  gentleman,  reproachfully,  as  he  retreated 
a  pace  into  the  entry. 

'    "0,  it's  all  right  here.     This  is  Phil  Farring- 
ford,  of  whom  I   spoke  to  you,"  added  Lynch. 

"  So  much  the  worse  ! "  exclaimed  the  invalid, 
impatiently. 

"  But  he  is  the  very  essence  of  discretion 
and  reserve.  Your  secret  is  as  safe  with  him 
as  with  me,"   protested   the  gambler. 

"  The  mischief  is  done,  whatever  it  may  be. 
You  have  called  me   by  my  name." 

"  May  I  ask  if  you  are  a  relative  of  Henry 
Gracewood?"  I  inquired,  so  much  interested 
in  the  pale  gentleman  that  I  forgot  everything 
else. 

"  His    own    brother,    and    his    only    brother," 
replied  Mr.   Gracewood,  bitterly.      "I  would  not 
18 


274  PLANE  AND  PLANK,   OR 

have  him  know  that  I  am  here  for  his  fortune 
and  mine,  though  I  am  guilty  of  no  crime 
against  him." 

"  Mind  that,  Phil,"  interposed  Lynch ;  "  and 
remember  that  discretion  is  the  better  part  of 
valor,  and  sometimes  the  better  part  of  virtue. 
This  honest  gentleman  has  been  unfortunate, 
but  not  guilty." 

I  could  not  understand  how  a  person  in  his 
situation,  apparently  an  invalid,  should  hap- 
pen to  be  in  a  gambling-house,  and  it  seemed 
to  me  that  the  secrecy  he  coveted  was  an  in- 
dication of  something  evil.  He  declared  that 
he  was  guilty  of  no  crime  against  his  brother. 
Respect  and  regard  for  the  good  friend  of  my 
early  years  prompted  me  not  to  betray  him,  at 
least  before  I  knew  more  about  him.  Then  it 
occurred  to  me  that  the  detective  on  the  roof, 
or  perhaps  in  the  entry  by  this  time,  might 
discover  more  than  it  was  desirable  for  him  to 
know. 

"  Do  you  know  where  my  brother  is  now, 
young  man?"  asked  the   invalid. 

"He  is   at   Delaware   City,  where  his  wife  is 


THE   MISHAPS   OP  A-  MECHANIC.  275 

sick,"  I  replied,  giving  him  the  details  of  the 
illness  of  Mrs.  Gracewood. 

"  You  can  talk  it  over  between  you,"  inter- 
posed Lynch.  "  I  have  an  engagement  with  the 
governor  of  Missouri  and  half  a  dozen  congress- 
men; and  I  hope  you  will  excuse  me  for  half 
an  hour." 

Mr.  Gracewood  nodded,  and  Lynch  and  Blair 
left  the  room.  I  had  no  doubt  Mr.  Bogart,  in 
the  entry,  would  attend  to  their  movements,  and 
I  did  not  trouble  myself  about  them.  I  told  my 
companion  all  I  knew  about  his  brother. 

"  I  had  a  letter  from  him  this  autumn,  say- 
ing he  expected  to  return  to  St.  Louis  before 
winter.  He  spoke  about  you,  and  about  his 
wife  and  daughter.  I  have  heard  nothing  from 
them  since." 

"He  would  have  been  here  a  fortnight  ago 
if  his  wife  had  not  been  sick." 

"  Young  man,  do  you  know  the  character  of 
this  house  ? "  said  Mr.  Gracewood,  looking  at 
me    very  sharply. 

"  I  do,  sir,  very  well  indeed ;  and  the  char- 
acter of  the  man  who  has  just  left  us." 


276  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

"  How  do  you  happen  to  be  in  such  a  place, 
then?" 

"  I  was  enticed  here  by  Lynch,  who  wanted 
to  plunder  me  of  certain  property  in  my  pos- 
session ;  but  I  understand  him,  and  he  won't 
make  anything  out  of  me." 

"  Perhaps  you  wonder  that  I  am  here,"  he 
added,  looking  upon  the  floor,  as  though  he  con- 
sidered his  own  position  more  equivocal  than 
mine. 

"  I  confess  that  I  do,  sir,  especially  as  you 
look  like  an  invalid,  and  I  see  you  have  your 
arm  in  a  sling." 

"  I  would  not  have  my  brother  know  that  I 
am  here  for  all  the  world,  for  I  judge  from 
the  tone  of  his  letter  that  a  great  change  has 
come  over  him.  He  talks  to  me  of  the  mer- 
cies of  God,  which  I  feel  that  I  need  more  than 
all  else  on  earth.  I  am  overwhelmed  with  shame 
at  my  situation." 

Mr.  Gracewood  covered  his  face  with  his 
hand,  and  I  heard  him  groan  in  bitterness  of 
spirit.  I  pitied  him,  for  whatever  he  had  done, 
he  was  a  penitent,  and  I  was  sure  that  God's 
mercy  could   reach  and   comfort  him. 


THE  MISHAPS   OF  A  MECHANIC.  277 

"If  you  wish,  I  will  tell  you  how  I  happen 
to  be  here,"  I  added,  intending,  if  possible,  to 
divert  his  mind  from  the  woe  that  overwhelmed 
him. 

"  No,  young  man ;  I  do  not  care  to  know. 
As  you  may  see  my  brother  before  I  do,  I  had 
better  tell  you  how  I  happen  to  be  here,"  he 
added.  "  I  have  been  gambling,  and  I  have 
lost  thousands  and  tens  of  thousands  of  dol- 
lars. I  have  even  impaired  my  fortune ;  and 
if  this  calamity  had  not  overtaken  me,"  —  and 
he  pointed  to  his  wounded  arm,  —  "I  might 
even  have  spent  my  brother's  fortune,  which, 
perhaps  you  know,  he  placed  in  my  keeping. 
I  sold  stocks  and  bonds  in  which  I  had  in- 
vested his  money,  and  lost  the  proceeds  at  the 
gambling  table. 

"In  my  home  at  Glencoe,  I  cursed  my  own 
folly  and  wickedness  in  wasting  my  substance 
in  games  of  chance ;  but  I  hoped  to  redeem 
my  heavy  losses.  I  was  fully  resolved,  when 
I  had  done  so,  never  to  play  again.  But  the 
judgment  comes  when  we  least  expect  it.  I 
found,  when  I  looked  over  nry  accounts  in  the 
quiet   of  my   chamber    at    Glencoe,    that   I   had 


278  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

lost  about  twenty  thousand  dollars'  worth  of 
stocks  and  bonds  belonging-  to  my  brother.  I 
was  appalled,  for  both  his  property  and  mine 
was  largely  invested  in  real  estate,  and  I  had 
not  the  ready  money  to  make  good  the  defi- 
ciency. A  few  days  before,  an  offer  was  made 
me  for  a  piece  of  property  in  this  city.  .  I  pro- 
posed to  sell  it  for  thirty  thousand,  and  was 
offered  twenty-five.  Under  the  pressure  of  this 
need  to  repair  my  brother's  fortune,  I  has- 
tened to  the  city,  and  closed  the  bargain  at  the 
lower  price. 

"  The  purchaser  came  to  me  with  the  money 
in  his  hand  as  soon  as  I  could  have  the  papers 
prepared.  It  was  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon 
when  the  business  was  completed,  and  I  had 
twenty-five  thousand  dollars  in  my  pocket.  It 
was  too  late  to  deposit  it  in  the  bank  that  day, 
and  meeting  one  whose  acquaintance  I  had 
made  at  Forstellar's,  I  came  here.  I  lost  a 
thousand  dollars  before  I  fully  realized  what  I 
was  doing.  Then  1  refused  to  play  any  more. 
The  one  with,  whom  I  had  come  was  angry 
with  me.  In  a  word,  we  had  a  quarrel,  and 
in   his   wrath   he   attempted   to  stab   me ;  but  I 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  279 

warded  off  the  blow  with  my  arm,  which  was 
severely   wounded. 

"  The  ruffian  escaped ;  but  I  was  taken  to  a 
chamber,  and  a  surgeon  sent  for.  Then  I  thought 
of  the  large  sum  of  money  in  my  possession, 
and  the   character  of  the  place,    and  — " 

Mr.  Gracewood  suddenly  placed  his  hand 
against  his  breast,  and,  without  another  word; 
fled  from  the  room. 


280  PLANE    AND    PLANK,    OR 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

IN  WHICH   PHIL   MEETS   AN   OLD   FRIEND,   AND   MR. 
LEONIDAS   LYNCHPINNE    COMES   TO    GRIEF. 

COULD  not  imagine  what  had  so  sudden- 
ly driven  Mr.  Gracewood  from  the  room. 
He  left  as  though  he  had  been  shot  from  a 
gun,  and  did  not  utter  a  word  in  explana- 
tion of  his  conduct.  On  the  impulse  of  the 
moment  I  followed  him.  In  the  entry  I  looked 
for  Mr.  Bogart,  in  order  to  report  progress  to 
him ;  but  I  did  not  see  him.  The  ladder  was 
still  standing  at  the  skylight,  but  the  detec- 
tive was  not  in  sight  upon  the  roof,  and  though 
I  called  his  name  as  loud  as  I  dared  to  speak 
he  did  not  respond. 

I  descended  the  stairs  to  the  next  floor,  where 
I  had  understood  the  room  of  the  invalid  was 
located.  The  door  of  his  apartment  was  open, 
and  I  discovered  Mr.   Gracewood  in  the  act  of 


THE  MISHAPS   OF  A  MECHANIC.  281 

ransacking  his  bed.  He  was  very  nervous  and 
excited,  and  I  saw  that  the  hand  he  was  able 
to  use  trembled  violently. 

"  What  is  the  matter,  Mr.  Gracewood  ? "  I 
asked,  as  he  continued  to  tumble  over  the 
mattress  and  the  pillows. 

"  All  is  lost ! "  exclaimed  he,  in  the  tones  of 
despair. 

"What  is  lost?" 

"  My  money  !  "  he  gasped,  in  a  hoarse  whisper. 

"  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  it  is  gone  ? "  I 
asked,  startled  at  the  suggestion. 

"  All  gone  !  "  groaned  he.  "  Twenty- four  thou- 
sand dollars ! " 

"  But  where  did  you  put  it,  sir  ?  " 

"Between  the  two  beds,  when  Lynch  sent 
for  me  to  come  up  into  his  room." 

"Did  he  send  for  you,  sir?"  I  interposed. 

"He  did." 

"Then  it  was  a  plot  to  rob  you,  sir." 

"  I  fear  that  it  was ;  but  I  was  careless.  I 
had  hardly  been  out  of  my  room  before ;  but 
when  I  did  leave  it,  I  took  my  money  with  me. 
I  had  become  accustomed  to  its  possession,  and 
I  did  not  think  of  it.     I  did  not  believe  Lynch 


282  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

was  a  bad  man.  He  was  very  kind  to  me,  and 
attended  to  my  wants  after  I  was  hurt." 

"  Did  lie  know  you  had  this  money  ? " 

"  I  did  not  tell  him,  but  I  think  he  did.  He 
must  have  stolen  it." 

"  Don't  be  alarmed,  sir.  I  don't  think  you 
will  lose  it,"  I  added. 

"  It  is  gone  already,  and  I  shall  never  see  it 
again." 

u  Perhaps  you  will,  sir." 

"  No,  never  I  The  men  in  this  house  are 
all  villains,"  said  he,  bitterly,  as  he  dropped 
into  a  chair,  apparently  from  sheer  exhaustion, 
and  in  utter  despair. 

"  No,  sir ;  I  happen  to  know  that  the  eyes 
of  a  detective  were  upon  him  at  the  very  mo- 
ment when  he  left  the  room  above.  I  have 
no  doubt  he  has  been  arrested  by  this  time." 

"  Detective  ?  " 

"  Yes,  sir ; "  and  I  gave  a  brief  account  of 
the  manner  in  which  Lynch  had  swindled  me, 
and  stated  the  purpose  for  which  I  had  returned 
to  the  house. 

"  But  I  shall  be  exposed  ! "  exclaimed  Mr. 
Gracewood,  bitterly.     "  I  would   rather  lose   my 


THE  MISHAPS   OP   A   MECHANIC.  283 

money  than  have  my  wife  and  children  know 
that  I  have  been  gambling,  and  that  I  frequent 
such  places  as  this.  I  Avrote  them  a  miserable 
lie  —  that  I  was  obliged  to  go  to  Memphis  — 
to  explain  my  absence.  If  God  will  forgive 
and  spare  me  this  time,  never  will  I  be  guilty 
again ! " 

"  Calm  yourself,  sir.  I  am  sorry  you  have 
done  wrong;  but  seeing  and  repenting  the 
wrong  half  undoes  it  —  so  your  brother  taught 
me." 

"  I  shall  never  be  at  peace  again  in  this  world," 
groaned  the  sufferer.  "  But  let  the  money  go ; 
I  can  sell  another  estate,  though  a  third  of  all 
I  had  is  gone  already." 

"  The  money  is  not  gone,  Mr.  Gracewood. 
I  am  satisfied  that  Lynch  is  arrested  by  this 
time." 

"  So  much  the  worse  !     I  shall  be  exposed." 

"  Perhaps  not.  Let  us  look  the  matter  over. 
Why  did  Lynch  send  for  you  to  go  up  into  his 
room  ?  " 

"  He  sent  me  a  note  by  the  young  man  who 
was  with  him.  Here  it  is,"  he  added,  rising 
and  taking  a  piece  of  paper  from  the  table. 


284  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

I  took  the  paper,  which  contained  a  few  lines, 
as  follows :  "  I  have  seen  the  young  fellow, 
Phil  Farringford,  who  was  with  your  brother. 
If  you  will  come  up  to  my  room,  I  will  tell  you 
what  he  says." 

"  You  seem  to  have  known  about  me  before," 
I  added,  when  I  had  read  the  note. 

"  As  I  said,  this  Lynch  took  care  of  me  when 
I  was  hurt.  I  did  not  intend  that  any  one 
here  should  know  my  name,  but  I  think  he 
read  it  where  the  tailor  had  written  it  on  the 
inside  of  my  coat ;  at  any  rate,  he  called  me 
by  name.  I  think  he  must  have  seen  me  take 
the  package  of  bank  notes  from  my  pocket  and 
put  it  under  the  pillow,  before  the  surgeon 
came.  When  the  doctor  left,  and  I  was  more 
comfortable,  he  told  me  that  he  had  met  my 
brother  on  board  of  a  steamer  up  the  Missouri, 
and  said  there  was  a  boy  with  him  whom  he 
had  since  seen  in  the  city.  I  was  very  anxious 
to  know  when  my  brother  was  coming,  so  that 
I  might  be  prepared  to  see  him. 

"  Lynch  did  not  know  where  my  brother  was, 
and  I  asked  him  if  he  knew  where  to  find  you. 
He   thought  he  should   be  able   to  see  you,  and 


THE  MISHAPS   OF  A  MECHANIC.  285 

to-night  I  was  very  glad  to  learn  that  he  had 
succeeded,  and  I  hastened  up  stairs  to  obtain 
the  intelligence  of  the  absent  one.'' 

The  plan  of  the  villain  appeared  to  me  to 
be  past  finding  out.  I  concluded  that  I  had 
been  sent  for  to  assist  in  some  manner  in  the 
plundering  of  the  unhappy  gentleman.  But  they 
had  done  the  job,  so  far  as  I  could  see,  without 
any  help  from  me,  unless  my  presence  was  in- 
tended to  lure  the  victim  from  his  room,  and  thus 
enable  them  to  do  the  work.  Why  they  had 
skirmished  by  robbing  me  of  sixty-five  dollars 
was  not  at  all  clear  to  me.  I  explained  to  Mr. 
Gracewood  that  I  had  left  Mr.  Eockwood  and  an 
officer  outside  of  the  house. 

"  I  will  go  down  and  see  if  they  are  there 
now,'7  I  added.  "  Perhaps  I  shall  be  able  to 
tell  you  something  about  Lynch." 

"  Don't  leave  me,  young  man.  I  am  mis- 
erable." 

"But  I  want  to  know  what  has  become  of 
Lynch." 

"  No  matter ;  let  him  go.  Do  not  allow  them 
to  expose  me." 

I  did   not  wonder  that   this   man's  conscience 


286  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

stung  him,  and  that  he  dreaded  to  have  his 
name  in  the  newspapers  in  connection  with 
his  presence  at  the  gambling-house.  The  only 
safety  for  men,  young  or  old,  is  to  keep  away 
from  evil  haunts.  Those  who  enter  gambling- 
houses  from  curiosity  may  be  impelled  to  repeat 
the  visit  from  stronger  motives. 

While  I  was  discussing  the  question  with 
the  miserable  man,  I  heard  footsteps  in  the 
entry.  I  opened  the  door,  and  found  Mr.  Rock- 
wood  and  the  detective,  who  had  come  to  look 
for  me. 

"  We  have  nabbed  them  both,  Phil/'  said 
Mr.  Rockwood.  "  They  are  in  irons  at  the 
next  station-house.  And  a  big  haul  it  was, 
too." 

"  Whose  room  is  that  you  came  out  of  just 
now  ?  "  asked  Mr.  Bogart. 

"  It  is  occupied  by  a  gentleman  who  is  stop- 
ping here/'  I  replied. 

"  Do  you  know  what  Lynch  stole  from  that 
room  ?  " 

"  I  do  —  a  package  containing  twenty-four 
thousand  dollars.     Did  you  see  him  take  it?" 


THE  MISHAPS   OF  A  MECHANIC.  287 

"I  did,"  answered  Mr.  Bogart.  "But  I  don't 
understand  this  business." 

"  Neither  do  I." 

"Where  is  the  gentleman?     I  want  to  see  him." 

"  I  wouldn't  see  him  to-night.  He  is  quite 
sick,  and  suffering  terribly." 

"  I  want  to  tell  him  that  his  money  is  safe." 

"  I  will  tell  him  that." 

"And  that  the  thief  is  in  custody.  "When 
he  is  able,  he  must  appear,  and  claim  his  money." 

Fortunately  Mr.  Bogart  was  in  a  great  hurry ; 
and  when  I  assured  him  I  had  no  fears  in  re- 
gard to  my  own  safety,  he  left  me  in  the  house, 
with  Mr.  Rockwood.  Before  he  went  he  took 
the  occasion  to  apologize  to  me  for  doubting 
my  story,  earlier  in  the  evening.  Leaving  Mr. 
Rockwood  in  the  entry,  I  went  in  to  see  Mr. 
Gracewood  again.  He  was  exceedingly  ner- 
vous and  uneasy  when  I  told  him  .  that  his 
money  was  safe. 

"  And  the  whole  story  will  be  out  in  the  news- 
papers on  Monday  morning,"  said  he,  gloomily. 

"  I  don't  know  much  about  these  things.  I 
am  willing  to  do  anything  that  is  right  for 
you,"  I  replied.  * 


288  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

"  I  deserved  to  be  exposed,  but  I  have  not 
the  courage  to  meet  the  ordeal." 

"  Mr.  Rockwood  is  waiting  for  me  in  the 
entry.  He  is  a  wealthy  and  influential  gen- 
tleman. His  brother  and  your  brother  were 
neighbors  and  intimate  friends  on  the  upper 
Missouri.  If  you  will  see  him,  I  think  he  could 
serve  you." 

At  first  he  was  very  unwilling  to  meet  any 
one,  but  at  last  he  consented.  I  stated  the  case 
to  Mr.  Rockwood  in  the  entry,  and  then  in- 
troduced him  to  the  sufferer. 

"Don't  distress  yourself,  my  dear  sir,"  said 
Mr.  Rockwood,  when  the  misery  of  the  other 
was  manifested.  "  The  best  of  men  have  their 
misfortunes." 

"  I  cannot  call  that  a  misfortune  which  is 
brought  upon  me  by  my  own  folly  and  wicked- 
ness," replied  Mr.  Gracewood. 

"  But  the  best  of  men  have  their  failings. 
Your  secret  is  safe  with  me,  and  I  shall  only 
hope  that  you  may  be  stronger  in  the  future 
than  in  the  past." 

"With  the  help  of  God,  this  will  be  a  lesson 


THE   MISHAPS   OP   A  MECHANIC.  289 

to   me    that   shall   make   me    a   better   man   than 
ever  before/'  added  Mr.  Grace  wood,  fervently. 

"  But  you  shall  not  stay  another  night  in 
such  a  place  as  this,  my  dear  sir,"  continued 
Mr.  Rockwood,  earnestly.  "  The  very  atmos- 
phere of  the  den  is  poison." 

"  I  dare  not  leave  it." 

"  My  hotel  is  only  a  few  steps  from  here.  You 
shall  have  my  rooms,  and  no  one  need  ever 
know  that  you  are  there." 

"  You  are  very  kind.  I  had  no  right  to  ex- 
pect such  generous  treatment  from  an  entire 
stranger." 

"  Your  brother  and  my  brother  were  the 
best  of  friends  for  many  years ;  we  will  imi- 
tate their  example,  and  be  friends  for  their 
sake." 

Mr.  Rockwood  insisted  upon  his  arrangement, 
paid  the  invalid's  bill,  and  sent  for  a  carriage 
to  convey  him  to  his  new  quarters.  We  dressed 
the  miserable  man,  and  helped  him  into  the 
vehicle.  The  driver  was  directed  to  stop  at 
the  private  door  on  the  cross-street,  and  Mr. 
Gracewood  was  conducted  to  the  rooms  of  his 
new  friend  without  attracting  any  attention. 
19 


290  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

"  I  used  to  stay  at  this  hotel  myself,"  said  Mr. 
Gracewood,  when  he  was  seated  in  the  planter's 
great  arm-chair. 

"  It  is  a  good  house,  and  you  shall  have  every 
care  you  need." 

Having  seen  the  invalid  so  comfortably  pro- 
vided for,  I  thought  it  was  about  time  for  me 
to  go  home.  I  promised  to  call  the  next  day, 
and  left  the  room.  I  felt  as  though  a  mighty 
secret  had  been  confided  to  me ;  but  I  could 
not  see  how  Mr.  Gracewood  could  escape  the 
exposure  he  so  much  dreaded.  I  could  not  un- 
derstand how  he  had  thus  far  escaped  it,  if  he 
frequented  gambling-houses.  Certainly  he  was 
thoroughly  conscious  of  the  sin  of  which  he 
had  been  guilty,  and  peace  would  follow  pen- 
itence and  reform. 

I  descended  the  stairs  to  the  lower  floor  of 
the  hotel,  and  was  hastening  by  the  office  when 
I  discovered  my  excellent  friend  Mr.  Henry 
Gracewood  walking  up  and  down  the  hall,  smok- 
ing his  pipe.  My  heart  thrilled  with  emotion  as 
I  hastened  to  greet  him.  He  grasped  my  hand 
with  a  warmth  that  assured  me  he  had  lost  none 
of  his  old  regard  for  me. 


THE  MISHAPS   OP  A  MECHANIC.  291 

"  I  am  glad  to  see  you,  Phil  Farringford,"  said 
he.  "  Come  right  up  stairs,  and  see  Mrs.  Grace- 
wood  and  Ella." 

He  led  the  way  to  a  suit  of  rooms  adjoining 
those  of  Mr.  Rockwood,  and  it  seemed  to  me 
that  the  catastrophe  which  the  invalid  so  much 
dreaded  could  not  long  be  postponed. 


292  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

IN    WHICH    PHIL    FINDS    THE    PROSPECT    GROWING 
BRIGHTER. 

THE  meeting  with  the  family  of  Mr.  Grace- 
wood  was  none  the  less  pleasant  because 
it  was  entirely  unexpected.  I  had  been  expect- 
ing and  hoping  to  see  them,  till  I  was  afraid 
the  winter  would  set  in  and  compel  them  to  re- 
main where  they  were  till  spring,  for  Mrs.  Grace- 
wood  was  too  ill  to  bear  the  fatigues  of  the  long 
journey  by  land.  I  thought  that  Ella  looked 
prettier  than  ever,  and  the  welcome  she  gave 
me  was  worth  all  the  patient  waiting  I  had 
bestowed  upon  it. 

The  lady  looked  very  pale  and  sick;  indeed, 
a  great  change  had  come  over  her  since  we 
parted,  only  a  few  weeks  before.  I  saw  that 
she  had  been  very  sick,  and  that  she  was  still 
very  far  from  being  in  her  usual  health.     Though 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  293 

she  had  been  brought  up  tenderly  and  delicately, 
she  had  done  the  house-work,  with  the  assistance 
of  Ella  and  myself,  at  the  settlement  during  the 
summer.  For  my  own  part;  I  felt  quite  alarmed 
about  her,  she  looked  so  pale  and  sick.  She  was 
reclining  upon  the  lounge  when  I  entered,  but 
she  rose  to  greet  me. 

"  I  am  glad  to  see  you,  Phil  Farringford,  for  I 
have  thought  a  great  deal  about  you  since  we 
parted  so  strangely,"  said  Mr.  Gracewood.  "  Your 
letter  afforded  me  a  great  deal  of  satisfaction." 

"  I  have  worried  a  great  deal  about  you  and 
your  family,  sir,"  I  replied ;  "  and  it  gives  me 
new  life  to  see  you  again.    "When  did  you  arrive?" 

"  We  did  not  get  ashore  till  after  nine  o'clock, 
too  late  to  go  out  to  Glencoe,  where  my  brother 
lives  at  the  present  time." 

I  wanted  to  tell  him  that  his  brother  was  in 
the  very  next  room ;  but  I  did  not  think  that  I 
had  the  right  to  complicate  the  affairs  of  others, 
and  I  said  nothing. 

"  What  have  you  been  doing,  Phil  ? "  asked 
Mr.  Gracewood. 

"  I  am  a  carpenter  now ;  I  work  at  the  Plane 
and  Plank,  and  am   doing  first  rate,"   I  replied. 


294  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

"I  have  a  long  story  to  tell  you,  but  I  suppose 
it  is  rather  late  to  beg-in  it  to-night." 

"  I  am  afraid  it  would  be  rather  trying  to  the 
nerves  of  Mrs.  Gracewood,  and  we  will  postpone 
it,"  he  replied,  glancing  at  his  wife. 

"  Do  let  me  hear  it,  Phil,"  interposed  Ella. 

"  I  shall  be  very  glad  to  tell  you  all  about  it, 
Ella )  but  it  is  too  late  to-night ;  I  must  go  home 
now." 

"  Where  is  your  home,  Phil  ?  " 

"  I  board  with  a  widow  lady,  who  is  one  of  the 
best  women  in  the  world.  She  lias  acted  like 
a  mother  to  me.  I  will  come  in  the  morning 
and  see  you  again." 

I  took  my  leave  of  the  family;  but  as  Mr. 
Gracewood  followed  me  down  stairs,  I  had  no 
opportunity  to  see  Mr.  Rockwood,  as  I  had  in- 
tended, to  inform  him  of  the  new  arrival.  I 
hastened  home,  and  found  my  father  and  Mrs. 
Greenough  very  much  worried  at  my  prolonged 
absence  ;  but  I  had  a  story  that  was  worth  tell- 
ing to  relate,  and  it  was  midnight  before  we 
retired. 

After  breakfast  the  next  morning  I  dressed 
myself  in  my  best  clothes ;  and  I  could  not  help 


THE   MISHAPS    OF   A   MECHANIC.  295 

thinking  that  Ella  would  be  willing  to  believe 
I  was  not  a  bad-looking  young  fellow.  My  father 
was  very  feeble,  but  it  was  a  satisfaction  to 
know  that  he  was  improving.  Mrs.  G-reenough 
was  unwearied  in  her  efforts  to  restore  him  to 
moral  and  physical  health.  Probably  his  illness 
in  a  measure  spared  him  from  the  cravings  of 
his  appetite  for  drink.  He  sat  in  his  easy  chair 
a  large  portion  of  the  day  reading  the  Bible,  and 
such  good  books  as  our  kind  landlady  provided 
for  his  needs. 

I  hastened  to  the  hotel  to  see  my  friends  as 
soon  as  I  could  get  away  from  home.  I  called 
upon  Mr.  Rockwood  first,  and  he  assured  me 
that  his  patient  was  doing  very  well,  but  had 
not  yet  left  his  bed. 

li  I  am  afraid  things  are  getting  a  little  tangled 
here,  sir,"  I  suggested. 

"  What  do  you  mean,  Phil  ?  Does  anything 
go  wrong  ? "  asked  Mr.  Rockwood. 

"  There  was  an  arrival  last  night  at  this  hotel," 
I  continued,  in  a  low  tone. 

"  Who  ?  " 

"Mr.  Gracewood,  from  the  upper  Missouri," 
I  replied,  in  a  whisper- 


296  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

11  Is  it  possible  ! " 

At  this  moment  the  invalid  tottered  through 
the  open  door,  and  stood  before  us. 

"  I  knew  it ! "  said  he  ;  "I  knew  it !  " 

"  What  ?  "  inquired  Mr.  Rockwood. 

"  That  my  brother  had  come.  You  need  not 
attempt  to  conceal  it  from  me.  I  heard  his  voice 
all  night  long.     He  is  in  the  next  room." 

The  planter  looked  at  me,  and  I  looked  at 
him.  It  was  not  probable  that  the  invalid  had 
heard  his  brother's  voice  all  night  long ;  and  it 
was  possible  that,  whatever  the  fact  might  be,  he 
was  laboring  under  a  delusion. 

"  Be  calm,  Mr.  Gracewood,"  said  the  planter. 

"  Calm?  I  am  as  calm  as  the  surface  of  a 
summer  lake.  Don't  you  see  that  I  am  calm  ? 
I  fear  nothing  now.  I  will  not  be  a  knave,  and 
I  will  not  be  a  hypocrite.  I  heard  my  brother's 
voice  last  evening  before  I  went  to  sleep,  and 
the  sound  of  it  haunted  me  all  night.  I  will 
tell  him  the  whole  story,  for  I  will  not  let  him 
believe  that  I  am  better  than  I  am.  If  God  will 
forgive  me,  I  know  my  brother  will." 

Mr.  Gracewood  explained  the  course  of  his 
thoughts   during  the   long   and   weary  night  he 


:        •  ■' ; 


THE  MISHAPS    OF   A   MECHANIC.  297 

had  passed.  It  was  but  the  old  story,  that  he 
who  sins  must  suffer ;  and  his  experience  made 
me  resolve  anew  to  be  always  true  and  faithful 
to  the  truth  and  the  right ;  for  if  the  conscience 
can  sting  here,  in  the  midst  of  the  allurements 
of  the  world,  what  will  it  not  do  in  the  here- 
after ? 

Mr.  Gracewood  declared  that  he  was  ready 
to  see  his  brother,  and  the  sooner  the  better. 
I  was  sent  to  prepare  my  excellent  friend  for 
the  interview.  I  found  the  family  in  their  par- 
lor, and  was  cordially  greeted  by  all  of  them. 
I  told  Mr.  Gracewood  that  I  had  made  the  ac- 
quaintance of  old  Matt's  brother,  and  that  he 
was  a  planter.  I  then  asked  him  to  go  with 
me  and  see  him.  He  consented,  but  in  the 
entry  I  paused  to  tell  him  more. 

"  There  is  another  brother  here/7  I  added,  as 
he  closed  the  door  of  the  parlor  behind  him. 

"Another   of  Matt's   brothers?" 

"  No,  your  brother." 

"  My  brother  !  " 

"  Yes,  sir ;  I  am  sorry  to  say  he  is  in  rather 
poor  health." 

"Where   is   he?" 


298  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

"111  the  next  room  to  yours.  He  is  with 
Mr.    Rockwood,  who   owns   this   hotel." 

"  Let  me  see  him  at  once.  I  hope  he  is  not 
dangerously    sick." 

il  No  5  but  he  is  more  troubled  in  mind  than 
in  body." 

"  Is   he   insane  ?  " 

"No,  sir;  he  blames  himself  very  much  for 
something  he  has  done." 

"  What  has  he  done  ? "  asked  my  friend,  very 
much  troubled. 

u  He  has  been  gambling ;  but  he  regrets  it 
so  sincerely,  that  I  am  sure  he  will  be  a  better 
man  than  he  ever  was  before.  You  shall  see 
him  now,  and  I  know  you  will  be  very  gentle 
with  him." 

"It  is  not  for  me  to  condemn  him;  I  can 
only  condemn  my  own  errors,"  said  my  Christian 
friend,  as  I  led  him  into  Mr.  Rockwood's  rooms. 

The  invalid  rose  as  he  entered,  and  extended 
his  hand  to  his  brother,  while  the  great  tears 
rolled  down  his  pale,  wan  cheek. 

"I  am  glad  to  see  you,  Robert,"  said  Henry. 
"I  am  sorry  you  are  sick." 

"I  am  sick  at  heart." 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  299 

But  I  did  not  stay  to  hear  the  confession  of 
the  penitent.  Ella  went  to  church  and  to  Sun- 
day school  with  me ;  and  after  the  latter  I 
conducted  her  back  to  the  hotel ;  for,  besides 
the  pleasure  her  company  afforded  me,  I  wished 
to  know  the  condition  of  affairs  between  the 
brothers.  As  I  had  expected,  they  were  easily 
reconciled.  My  excellent  friend  had  no  malice 
in  his  heart ;  and  though  his  brother's  error 
must  have  given  him  a  severe  shock,  he  was 
willing  to  cover  the  past  with  the  repentance 
that  succeeded. 

I  dined  with  the  family,  and  went  to  church 
in  the  afternoon ;  but  I  spent  the  evening  with 
my  father.  He  was  more  cheerful  than  he  had 
been  for  several  days,  and  assured  me  he  had 
found  a  peace  in  the  truths  of  the  gospel  which 
he  had  never  realized  before.  He  was  really 
happy ;  and  if  there  was  ever  a  changed  man  in 
the  world,  he  was  the  one. 

"  Philip,  I  am  well  enough  to  think  of  the  fu- 
ture," said  he.     "  It  worries  me,  too.'7 

"It  need  not." 

"  I  may  not  be  able  to  do  anything  for  some 


300  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

time,  for  I  am  very  weak.  I  suppose  I  must 
be  made  over  anew." 

"  Don't  disturb  yourself  at  all  about  that," 
I  replied.  "  I  am  getting  six  dollars  a  week, 
and  that  will  pay  our  board." 

"  I  cannot  live  on  your  hard  earnings,  Philip," 
he  added,  shaking  his  head.  "  I  feel  guilty  even 
now ;  and  I  should  not  have  come  here  to  be 
a  burden  to  you,  if  I  had  not  been  a  wreck 
of  what  I  was  once." 

"  I  assure  you,  father,  it  will  be  the  greatest 
pleasure  on  earth  for  me  to  do  what  I  can  for 
you.  I  may  not  get  a  dollar  a  day  all  the  time, 
but  I  have  fifteen  hundred  dollars,  sure,  now." 

"  I  hope  I  shall  soon  be  able  to  do  something 
for  myself,  Philip.  For  the  last  week  I  have 
dared  to  hope  that  your  mother  might  come 
back,  and  that  we  might  be  as  happy  as  we  were 
before  I  dashed  down  all  my  earthly  hopes." 

"  I  hope  so,  father ;  nothing  could  make  me 
so  happy  as  to  live  with  my  father  and  mother." 

"  Perhaps  I  may  get  a  situation  as  a  clerk, 
and  earn  enough  to  support  me ;  though  it  is 
hard,  at  my  time  of  life,  to  go  back  and  com- 
mence  where   I   began   twenty  years   ago.     But 


THE  MISHAPS   OF   A  MECHANIC.  301 

I  deserve  all  that  can  befall  me,  and  I  will  be 
as  humble  as  my  circumstances  are.  God  has 
been  merciful  to  me ;  he  has  spared  and  re- 
deemed me." 

"  Do  you  know  where  my  mother  is  ? "  I 
asked,  burning  with  the  old  desire  to  see  and 
know  her. 

"I  do  not.  They  have  taken  pains  to  keep 
all  knowledge  of  her  from  me.  I  was  told 
that  she  was  in  Europe,  and  I  have  no  doubt 
such  is  the  case.  I  should  like  to  let  her 
know  that  our  lost  little  one  has  been  merci- 
fully restored,  but  I  cannot  do  even  that;  and 
I  will  not  ask  her  to  live  with  me  again  until 
I  have  made  myself  worthy  to  do  so.;' 

Somehow  God  always  sends  good  angels  to 
those  who,  in  trust  and  faith,  are  trying  to  help 
themselves.  The  door  bell  rang,  and  Mrs.  Green- 
ough  admitted  Mr.  Eockwood. 

"  I  am  glad  to  see  you  again,  Phil,"  said  he. 
"  I  wished  to  see  your  father,  and  I  wanted  to 
tell  you  to  be  at  the  police  station  to-morrow 
forenoon  at  ten  o'clock." 

"  1  will  be  there,  sir,  if  Mr.  Clinch  will  let 
me  off." 


302  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

"He  must  let  you  off.  If  he  won't,  I  shall 
send  an  officer  to  summon  you." 

"I  have  no  doubt  he  will  let  me  go." 

"  Your  evidence  is  necessary  to  convict  Lynch. 
I  am  told  that  the  young  fellow  wants  to  make 
a  confession." 

"  I  should  like  very  much  to  hear  it,  for  I 
don't  know  even  yet  why  those  fellows  followed 
me  up  so  closely." 

"We  shall  know  to-morrow.  —  How  do  you  feel, 
Mr.  Farringford  ?  "  added  Mr.  Rockwood,  turning 
to  my  father. 

"  Better,  sir  5  I  hope  to  be  out  in  a  few 
days." 

"You  were  once  a  very  able  business  man, 
and  I  have  no  doubt  you  know  as  much  now 
as  you  ever  did.  I  have  been  looking  for  a 
man  who  is  competent  to  take  charge  of  my 
property  in  St.  Louis.  You  are  the  right  man, 
if—" 

"If  I  keep  sober,"  added  my  father,  when 
the  planter  paused.  "  I  have  no  claim  whatever 
upon  your  confidence ;  but  I  assure  you  I  be- 
lieve it  is  quite  impossible  for  me  ever  to  drink 
another  drop  of  liquor." 


THE   MISHAPS   OP  A  MECHANIC.  303 

This  important  matter  was  discussed  for  some 
time,  but  it  ended  in  the  appointment  of  my 
father  as  agent  of  the  planter.  When  our  vis- 
itor had  departed,  the  future  looked  bright  and 
pleasant;  and  it  seemed  to  me  that  the  day- 
was  drawing  nearer  when  our  family  should  be 
reunited  under  one  roof. 


304  PLANE   AND   PLANK,    OR 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

IN  WHICH   PHIL    LISTENS   TO    THE   CONFESSION   OF   HIS 
PERSECUTOR,  AND   ENDS   PLANE  AND   PLANK. 

WENT  to  my  work  on  Monday  morning, 
and  Plane  and  Plank  were  to  employ  me 
for  the  day.  Certainly  I  never  went  to  work 
so  cheerfully  in  my  life,  for  somehow  all  my 
mishaps  seemed  to  have  been  turned  into 
blessings.  When  I  found  my  father  a  miser- 
able drunkard  and  outcast,  that  seemed  to  me 
the  greatest  mishap  which  could  possibly  be- 
fall me.  But  now  he  was  a  new  man,  through 
the  blessed  ministrations  of  Mrs.  Greenough ; 
and  through  him  I  hoped  to  find  the  highest 
of  earthly  bliss  in  our   reunited  family. 

My  mishaps  with  the  villains  who  had  stolen 
my  money,  and  who  had  probably  intended  to 
force  me  into  a  course  of  crime,  had  given  me 
such  a  powerful  friend   as   Mr.    Rockwood.     My 


THE   MISHAPS   OF   A   MECHANIC.  305 

father  had  been  appointed  his  agent,  with  a 
salary  at  the  rate  of  twelve  hundred  dollars  a 
year  for  the  first  three  months,  with  a  prom- 
ise of  an  increase,  if  he  was  faithful  and 
steady.  I  fully  believed  that  my  father  was 
sincere,  and  that,  as  he  said,  it  would  be  quite 
impossible  for  him  to  drink  another  drop  of 
liquor.  I  believed  it,  because  I  knew  that  he 
prayed  to  God  morning,  noon,  and  night  for 
strength;  and  I  was  sure  that  he  whom  God 
helps   cannot   fail. 

Mr.  Clinch  gave  me  permission,  at  nine 
o'clock,  to  be  absent  the  rest  oS  the  day,  if 
necessary.  He  was  curious  to  know  what 
business  I  had  at  the  courts,  and  I  told  him 
enough  of  the  story  to  enable  him  to  under- 
stand the  situation. 

"I  was  sure  that  Morgan  Blair  was  getting 
into  bad  ways,"  said  Mr.  Clinch.  "  I  tell  you, 
Phil,  when  a  young  fellow  is  lazy,  and  don't 
take  any  interest  in  his  business,  he  is  getting 
into  a  bad  way.  All  I  want  to  know  about  a 
boy  is,  whether  he  feels  an  interest  in  his  busi- 
ness or  not.  Then  I  can  tell  pretty  well  about 
his  morals." 

20 


306  PLANE  AND   PLANK,   OR 

"  I  think  he  fell  into   bad  company,   sir." 

"  Of  course  he  did }  idlers  always  fall  into 
bad  company.  A  young  fellow  must  have  a 
taste  for  bad  company  before  he  can  be  led 
a  great  ways  out  of  the  right  track.  The  first 
bad  company  a  young  fellow  keeps  is  himself. 
If  he  dont  begin  there,  he  won't  begin  any- 
where  else.     Those  are  my  sentiments." 

Mr.  Clinch  talked  to  me  while  I  was  pre- 
paring to  go  to  the  station-house ;  and  when 
I  was  ready  I  hastened  to  the  place  appointed. 
I  found  Mr.  Rockwood  and  both  the  Grace- 
woods  there,  with  Lynch  and  Blair  in  irons. 
They  looked  pitiable  enough  now.  They  had 
been  arrested  at  the  very  moment  when  they 
considered  themselves  entirely  successful  in 
their  wicked  enterprise,  and  of  course  the  shock 
of  disaster  was  very  heavy. 

"You  are  an  old  one,  Phil  Farringford,"  said 
Lynch,  with  a  sickly  smile.  "  You  have  brought 
me  to  grief  finally.  If  I  can  get  out  of  this 
scrape,  I  donrt  know  but  I  should  be  willing 
to  go  to  a  prayer-meeting  with  you." 

"  It  would  do  you  good,"  I  replied.  "  Why 
were  you  so  determined  to  rob  me,  Lynch?" 


THE  MISHAPS   OF  A  MECHANIC.  307 

"Because  I  thought  you  were  a  great  deal 
fatter  pullet  than  you  turned  out  to  be.  I 
heard  you  and  that  gentleman,"  he  added, 
pointing  to  Mr.  Henry  Grace  wood,  "talking 
pretty  large  about  your  money.  As  you  ex- 
hibited some  of  it,  I  was  satisfied  that  you 
really  had  the  gold,  and  I  thought  it  would  do 
me  more  good  than  it  would  you.  However, 
you  were  so  full  of  fight  that  I  gave  it  up  till 
you  vexed  me  so  here  in  the  city.  After  I  had 
given  you  back  your  hundred  dollars,  I  was 
determined  to  be  even  with  you.  Then  I  fol- 
lowed, and  made  the  acquaintance  of  my  good 
friend   Morgan  Blair." 

"Yes;  and  I  wish  you  had  been  at  the  bot- 
tom of  the  Mississippi  before  I  had  ever  seen 
you,"  blubbered  Blair,  his  eyes  filling  with 
tears. 

"  After  listening  to  that  highly  interesting 
story  about  the  Eockwoods,  I  decided  that  my 
friend  Blair  should  be  the  last  of  the  Rock- 
woods.  You  were  very  obstinate,  Phil;  very. 
After  that  affair  at  the  station-house,  I  made 
the  acquaintance  of  Mr.  Gracewood,  I  sup- 
posed,  at  first,   that  he   was   the   one   who  had 


308  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

signed  that  note  of  yours,  Phil.  I  wanted  the 
note  then,  but  I  soon  found  that  I  was  mis- 
taken. About  the  same  time  I  found  the 
wounded  man  had  a  large  sum  of  money  upon 
him,  and  I  was  more  anxious  to  get  this.  I 
told  Mr.  Gracewood  that  I  knew  a  young  man 
who  had  seen  his  brother,  and  then  I  got  the 
whole  story." 

"What  did  you  want  of  me?"  I  asked. 

"  That's  the  point ;  I  wanted  you,  because 
you  knew  Mr.  Gracewood's  brother.  He  would 
trust  you,  for  you  go  to  prayer-meetings.  He 
told  me  all  about  his  brother;  and  I  thought 
if  I  could  get  that  note,  he  would  pay  it;  but 
that  was  to  be  Blair's  perquisite  —  what  he 
could  get  of  it.  The  sick  man  told  me  he 
had  the  care  of  his  brother's  property,  and 
would  pay  anything  on  his  account  that  was 
right." 

"  But  did  you  mean  to  have  me  help  you 
steal  the  twenty-four  thousand  dollars  ? "  I  de- 
manded. 

"  That  was  what  I  wanted  you  for ;  and 
when  we  left  you  in  the  room,  I  went  down 
to  see  Mr.   Gracewood.     I  intended  to  tell  him, 


THE  MISHAPS   OF  A   MECHANIC.  309 

as  a  friend,  that  it  was  not  safe  to  keep  such  a 
sum  in  such  a  house.  I  meant  to  advise  him 
to  send  it  to  the  bank   by  you." 

"  And  then  to  rob  me  ?  " 

"  Well,  you  needn't  call  it  by  such  a  hard 
name ;  but  you  never  would  have  got  out  of 
the  house  with  the  money.  I  have  played 
and  lost,  and  now  I  make  the  best  of  it. 
When  you  left  the  room,  we  heard  you  on  the 
roof;  but  I  expected  you  back  very  soon,  for  I 
knew  you  could  not  escape  in  that  direction. 
I  was  humane  too,  for  I  was  afraid  you  would 
break  your  neck,  and  spoil  all  my  plans ;  I 
placed  the  ladder  at  the  skylight,  so  that  you 
could  return  without  danger." 

"  Why  did  you  send  to  my  boarding-house  for 
my  money  ?  " 

"  Simply  to  ascertain  whether  you  were 
there.  When  you  came  back,  I  sent  a  note 
down  to  Mr  Gracewood,  and  thus  brought 
you  together.  While  you  wer#  talking  to- 
gether, I  went  down  into  Mr.  Gracewood's 
room,  in  order  to  ascertain,  if  I  could,  where 
he  kept  the  package  of  money.  Of  course  I 
did   not   suppose   he   had  left  it  there ;   but,   to 


310  PLANE   AND   PLANK,   OR 

my  surprise,  I  found  it  between  the  two  beds. 
I  took  possession,  and  Blair  and  I  left  then. 
I  intended  to  be  a  hundred  miles  from  St. 
Louis  before  daylight  the  next  morning.  In- 
stead of  that,  we  were  nabbed  by  this  excellent 
gentleman  as  soon  as  we  stepped  upon  the 
sidewalk." 

"  I  was  watching  you  all  the  time,"  added 
the  detective. 

"  And  the  game  is  up,  and  lost,"  said  Lynch. 

"A  very  stupid  game  it  was,  too." 

"  It  may  look  so  now ;  it  did  not  then.  It  would 
not  have  been  a  hard  job  to  persuade  a  sick 
man  in  a  gambling-house  to  send  his  money  to 
the   bank  for  safe  keeping." 

"I  don't  think  it  would,"   said  the  invalid. 

"  Did  you  expect  him  to  trust  Phil  at  sight  ?  " 
asked  the  detective. 

"  Not  at  all.  Phil  goes  to  prayer-meetings, 
and  I  thought  he  would  be  willing  to  spend 
most  of  the  time,  from  Saturday  night  till  Mon- 
day morning,  with  the  sick  brother  of  his  best 
friend.  By  Monday  noon  he  would  have  been 
willing  to  trust  him  with  all  he  had  in  the 
world." 


THE   MISHAPS    OF   A   MECHANIC.  311 

"I  think  he  would,"  added  Henry  Grace- 
wood. 

"If  he  had  sent  me  to  the  bank  with  the 
money,  it  would  have  gone  there,"  I  said,  con- 
fidently. 

"Perhaps  not,"   replied  Lynch. 

"  There  would  have  been  a  big  fight,  at  any 
rate,"  I  continued.  "  I  would  not  have  given 
up  the  money  while  I  had  an  arm  left." 

"  Well,  gentlemen,  it  is  time  to  take  the  pris- 
oners before  the   court,"  said  Mr.  Bogart. 

They  were  taken  to  the  court ;  Lynch  pleaded 
guilty,  and  Blair,  after  telling  a  pitiful  story 
of  the  manner  in  which  he  had  been  led  away, 
put  in  the  same  plea.  In  due  time  the  older 
villain  was  sentenced  to  ten  years'  imprison- 
ment, and  the  novice  to  one  year.  Mr.  Grace- 
wood  recovered  his  money,  and  I  did  mine. 
Thus  the  wretch  who  had  been  persecuting 
me  since  he  came  on  board  the  steamer  on 
the  Missouri  to  the  present  time,  was.  dis- 
posed of. 

The  brothers  Gracewood  remained  at  the 
hotel  a  week.  The  case  of  the  penitent  was 
known    to    the    public,   and    to    his   own    family. 


312  PLANE    AND    PLANK,    OR 

Those  who  loved  him  forgave  him;  and  he 
could  afford  to  be  independent,  in  a  measure, 
of  the  opinions  of  others.  His  fortune  was  still 
ample  for  his  support  in  elegance  and  luxury, 
and  his  brother  lost  nothing  by  his  misdeeds. 

Mr.  Henry  Gracewood  paid  me  the  fifteen 
hundred  dollars,  which,  by  the  kindness  of  Mr. 
Rockwood,  became  my  property.  It  was  de* 
posited  in  three  savings  banks.  The  health  of 
Mrs.  Gracewood  was  very  much  impaired  by 
her  illness,  and  the  most  skilful  physician  in 
the  city  recommended  a  change  of  climate, 
advising  her  to  live  in  the  south  of  France  dur- 
ing the  winter.  This  was  a  heavy  blow  to  me, 
for  I  had  counted  upon  the  society  of  the 
Gracewoods,  especially  of  Ella.  The  season  was 
advancing,  and  the  family  were  obliged  to  hasten 
away.  With  a  heavy  heart  I  bade  good  by  to 
them,  and  it  was  years  before  I  saw  them 
again. 

I  attended  to  my  work  diligently  and  faith- 
fully, and  gave  entire  satisfaction  to  my  em- 
ployer. But  I  found  that  Plane  and  Plank  was 
hard  work,  and  city  life  did  not  agree  with 
me   as   well  as   that  in   the  wilds   of  the  upper 


THE   MISHAPS    OF   A   MECHANIC.  313 

Missouri.  Still,  I  was  very  happy,  though  I 
was  troubled  with  a  longing  desire  to  see  my 
mother. 

With  the  money  restored  to  me  after  the 
arrest  of  the  robbers,  I  purchased  a  suit  of 
nice  black  clothes  for  my  father ;  and  when 
he  was  dressed  in  them,  he  looked  like  the 
neAv  man  that  he  was.  He  was  paler  and  thin- 
ner than  when  I  had  first  seen  him,  but  I  was 
proud  of  his  appearance.  Though  not  in  ro- 
bust health,  he  was  able  to  enter  at  once  upon 
the  duties  of  his  position  as  the  agent  of  Mr. 
Rockwood. 

We  continued  to  live  at  Mrs.  Greenough's, 
who  felt  quite  as  much  interest  in  both  of  us 
as  though  we  had  been  her  nearest  relatives. 
A  smaller  room  over  the  entry  was  fitted  up 
for  me,  and  my  father  took  my  chamber.  Here 
he  kept  his  account-books,  and  did  all  his  writ- 
ing. I  suppose  that  he  was  often  tempted  to 
drink,  but  I  am  certain  that  he  never  yielded. 
He  always  attended  every  service  at  the  church. 
Mrs.  Greenough  had  both  reformed  and  con- 
verted him,  though  I  think  my  presence  had 
some  influence  with  him. 


314  PLANE   AND   PLANK,  OR 

I  had  work  at  my  trade  all  winter ;  but  my 
father  insisted  upon  paying  my  board  as  well 
as  his  own,  and  I  saved  nearly  all  my  money. 
I  went  to  an  evening  school,  and  studied  book- 
keeping. In  fact  I  spent  most  of  my  leisure 
hours  in  study.  I  reviewed  my  old  branches. 
My  father  was  a  very  well  educated  man,  and 
assisted  me  in  my  efforts  to  improve  my  mind. 
He  instructed  me  in  the  usages  of  business,  and 
helped  me  with  my  accounts. 

In  the  spring,  Mr.  Lamar  offered  my  father 
a  much  larger  salary  than  he  was  receiving;  but 
his  employer  promptly  doubled  his  present  pay, 
so  well  was  he  satisfied  with  his  services. 
During  the  summer  season,  besides  taking  charge 
of  the  rents  and  repairs  of  the  tenements,  he 
built  several  new  houses  for  Mr.  Rockwood, 
which  were  leased  to  good  tenants.  His  posi- 
tion was,  therefore,  one  of  great  responsibility, 
but  he  was  competent  to  fill  it.  He  did  his 
employer's  business  as  though  it  had  been  his 
own. 

"We  were  both  doing  exceedingly  well,  and 
were  in  the  main  contented  and  happy,  though 
I  could  not  be  entirely  satisfied  while  my  moth- 


TL^   MISHAPS    OF   A    MECHANIC.  315 

er  was  separated  from  us.  I  said  so  much 
about  this  subject,  that  my  father  wrote  to 
Mr.  Collingsby,  in  Chicago,  informing  him  that 
"  the  long-lost  son "  had  been  found.  No  an- 
swer was  received ;  and  another  letter  was 
written,  which,  however,  produced  no  better 
result.  Evidently  Mr.  Collingsby  did  not  be- 
lieve the  statements  contained  in  the  letters, 
and  he  took  no  notice  of  them.  Foiled  in  this 
manner,  we  were  ompelled  to  drop  the  mat- 
ter for  the  time. 

I  worked  at  my  trade  fr*v  two  years  ;  .  and  at 
the  end  of  that  time,  althoti^'"  I  was  only  fifteen, 
I  did  not  think  there  was  much  more  for  me 
to  learn  in  that  business.  Probably  I  should 
have  continued  to  work  at  it,  however,  if  Mr. 
Clinch  had  not  abandoned  his  trade  to  go  into 
the  lumber  business  in  Michigan.  I  had  learned 
book-keeping  pretty  thoroughly,  and  I  did  not 
care  to  find  a  new  place  as  a  carpenter.  I  was 
rather  desirous  of  practising  what  I  had  learned 
on  the  subject  of  accounts,  and,  with  the  advice 
of  my  father,  I  concluded  to  abandon,  for  the 
present,  the  Plane  and  Plank. 


